Among questions: # of council members, election structure
COVINGTON, Ky. – Through an on-line survey and two community forums (with the first next week), Covington wants to hear from its residents and business community on key questions related to the new version of its elected body that will take office in early 2027.
As the current Board of Commissioners (led by a mayor) morphs into a separate legislative body called a “Council,” the City specifically is asking:
- How many seats the Council should have (with state law allowing between 6 and 12).
- Whether councilmembers should be elected at large (a la citywide) or by district or ward (with each person elected from a specific geographic area of Covington).
- Whether elections should be partisan or non-partisan.
The survey, which includes both multiple choice and open-ended questions, is available at Council Survey.
The two forums will each start at 6 p.m.:
- March 13 (Thursday), City Hall, 20 West Pike St.
- March 26 (Wednesday), American Legion Post 203, 3801 Winston Ave., Latonia.
“I encourage all Covington residents and those who own businesses here or work here to speak up,” Mayor Ron Washington said. “Public input is an important component as we determine the structure of the new Council and how it will be elected. After all, these will be your representatives carrying out your wishes.”
Washington is chairman of the nine-person Committee on Form of Government Transition, which met for the second time last week. As spelled out in Commissioners Order 278-24, the committee’s role is to make recommendations on Covington’s move from a City Manager form of government to a Mayor-Council form over the next two years, as approved by voters last November.
The committee will produce an initial progress report by June 30, a list of recommendations related to the new City Council by Oct. 17, and a comprehensive final report by May 1, 2026. The recommendations must be approved by the current five-member Board of Commissioners.
The on-line survey also asks whether residents think elections should be partisan or non-partisan. Currently, they are non-partisan, meaning candidates don’t have to identify their political affiliation and that there are not separate primary elections in which various political parties elect their candidates.
Currently, Covington has a five-member Board of Commissioners consisting of a mayor and four commissioners. The mayor serves four-year terms and is elected separately from the commissioners, who serve two-year terms.
Commissioners run in a field race (all against each other) and are elected citywide. Voters can vote for up to four candidates. If nine or more candidates file to run, a primary election in May narrows the field to eight candidates, and the eight is narrowed to four in the November general election.
Likewise, if three or more candidates file to run for mayor, a primary is held to narrow the field to two, who then run against each other leading up to the November election. Under the new setup, the mayor will continue to be elected every four years.
The Transition committee generally meets the fourth Thursday of every month at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 20 West Pike St.
For a calendar of meetings and a list of committee members, see Transition Committee. Or check out the City’s Transition webpage, which includes a Covington Transition FAQ document through which residents can do a deeper dive into the subject.
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