Albany City Commission requests March date for special Ward VI election
The Albany City Commission is asking for a March date to hold a special election to replace the late Demetrius Young as Ward VI commissioner.
ALBANY – An election to fill an Albany City Commission seat left vacant by the death of Ward VI Commissioner Demetrius Young is planned for March 18.
A memorial event was held for the late commissioner Tuesday evening at the Charles M. Sherrod Civil Rights Park in downtown Albany. Young, 53, who was one year into his second four-year term on the commission, died on Dec. 29 of natural causes.
Commissioners approved the March election date during a Tuesday special called meeting.
The city’s charter states that in the event of a seat being vacated, which includes the death of a commissioner in office, the commission is to call an election within 15 days in instances in which there are more than six months left in the term of office.
The first opportunity to hold an election in 2025, in accordance with dates approved by the state for holding special elections, is March 18. The next available opportunity for a special election would come in June.
The choice of holding the election at the earliest opportunity was based on ensuring that constituents in Ward VI have representation and is not intended to give the impression of disrespect, Mayor Bo Dorough said.
“The reason I think we ought to go ahead and do it is that otherwise Ward VI will be without a commissioner for six months,” he said.
The Albany-Dougherty County Board of Registration and Elections has a meeting scheduled for next week during which it can give the go-ahead for holding the election on the suggested date, City Attorney Michael Custer told commissioners.
“Based on the guidelines, for the board of elections, they have a meeting on the 15th,” she said. “If the commission would like that election in March, then it needs to be on their agenda.”
In other business on Tuesday, the commission approved an ordinance to allow for the Sunday sale of package alcohol. Under the ordinance licensed establishments may sell alcoholic beverage from 12:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m.
Albany voters approved a referendum in favor of Sunday sales in November.
Author
