Wilmington City Councilmember Shané Darby brought a slate of ordinances seeking municipal government reform to Thursday’s regular meeting.
The four government-related ordinances presented sought to implement term limits and staggered terms for Councilmembers, while lowering the minimum age for mayoral and Councilmember candidates.
Darby said these changes are about good governance, not politics.
“When all council seats turn over at the same time, we risk losing institutional knowledge, momentum, continuing on certain issues that matter the most to our residents,” Darby explained. “Staggered terms ensure that experienced council members remain in place to support new members, maintain oversight and keep long term work moving forward.”
That ordinance failed 9-3 with one absent. Darby also fought for term limits, which she said would ensure elected offices see a diverse array of candidates rather than becoming lifelong positions.
Councilmember Chris Johnson said he understands Darby’s position on staggered elections and term limits, but he was concerned about fairness.
“Some people will be during presidential years, some people will be doing non-presidential years,” Johnson said. “Some members will be up during a [mayoral] election. Some people will be up during a non-mayoral election. So there's gonna be some people actually who would have to technically resign if they had aspirations to be mayor. So I think it creates an unfair dynamic in terms of the members.”
Darby said in an earlier interview with Delaware Public Media that she also is concerned that fewer people would vote in non-presidential election years.
“I really believe for our city to move forward, what's happening now is just not working,” Darby said in her final plea to her colleagues on staggered terms.
Term limits also failed to win Council approval with a 5-7 vote and one absent. If passed, it would have capped Councilmembers at three terms in one representative capacity, meaning a district Councilmember could serve for 12 years and could serve another 12 years for the at-large seat.
Darby’s remaining two ordinances sought to lower the minimum ages for City Councilmember and mayoral seats from 25 to 18. She said excluding individuals 18-24 years old does a disservice to the community.
Johnson said he’s concerned 18 year olds might not have enough life experience to act as elected officials.
“I'm more in favor of a lower age for city council, though,” Johnson said. “I don't know if 18 is a sweet spot… And studies do show, again, that the brain is not fully developed, especially in men, until it's that 22 to 25 year age range. So I mean, we have great duties.”
After several similar comments, Darby decided to delay a vote on the ordinance regarding mayoral age limits and plans on proposing amendments to both age limit ordinances to lower to 21 rather than 18.
