HICKORY, N.C. — Hickory City Council voted 6–1 Tuesday night to ask the North Carolina General Assembly to move the city’s municipal elections to even-numbered years.
City leaders say the change could significantly increase voter turnout, pointing to stark differences between recent elections, about 75% turnout in 2024 compared to roughly 16% in the 2025 municipal race.
The resolution now goes to the General Assembly, which has the authority to change municipal election cycles, according to the Hickory Record.
City Manager Warren Wood presented data supporting the shift, but some residents raised concerns that local races could lose attention on crowded even-year ballots.
Others argued the city has not done enough to promote municipal elections through outreach and communication.
City leaders pushed back on that criticism, with some council members and the mayor saying voter participation and engagement are primarily the responsibility of candidates and individual voters.
The resolution specifies that only the election year would change and does not request making Hickory’s elections partisan.
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