Voters May Get to Decide on Election of Mayor

Advocates of the direct election of the city’s mayor say they have collected enough signatures to place a charter amendment on the ballot next year.

The initiative would end the tradition of having City Council members choose the mayor from their own ranks. It also would ask voters to approve the election of the city’s seven council members by district instead of on an at-large basis.

Lawyer Paul DeSantis, a leader of the effort, said it will take several weeks for the 12,952 signatures to be certified. Signatures of 9,039 registered voters are required.