Work Session - Board of Elections Council Referral Follow-Up Review

The City of Greenbelt, Maryland held a work session on September 24, 2026, focused primarily on the Board of Elections' follow-up review regarding the implementation of ranked choice voting (RCV) for the 2027 election. The Board presented draft charter and code amendments to support RCV, including recommendations on ranking limits, ballot counting procedures, and handling election outcomes when candidates do not meet the required threshold. Discussions included voter education plans, potential impacts on election administration, and the financial implications of mailing ballots to all registered voters versus the current application-based mail-in ballot process. Council members debated the merits and costs of universal ballot mailing to increase voter turnout, with plans to further explore budget impacts in upcoming sessions. Additionally, the council discussed campaign finance policies, the timing and format of upcoming council retreats, and improvements to election code recodification for streamlined future amendments. No formal votes were taken during this session, but action items include further budget analysis for election costs and scheduling future discussions on charter amendments and mail-in ballot policies.