Rockville to Vote on Three Referendum Questions

Rockville residents will select a new Mayor and Council at the City election on Nov. 5. Rockville operates under a council-manager form of government. Under this form of government, the elected body – in the case of Rockville, the five-member Mayor and Council – is responsible for establishing policy, passing local laws and developing an overall vision for the City. Rockville’s City Manager oversees the daily operations of the City government and implements the policies established by the Mayor and Council.

This year, voters will decide between two candidates for mayor and six candidates for four council seats. The Mayor and Council each serve two-year terms.

The mayoral candidates are Bridget Newton and Mark Pierzchala, who are both current councilmembers in Rockville.

The candidates for council include one incumbent, Tom Moore. Other candidates are Beryl L. Feinberg, Donald H. (Don) Hadley, Virginia Onley, Julie Palakovich Carr and Claire Marcuccio Whitaker.

Voters will also get a chance on Election Day to advise elected leaders on potential revisions to the City’s charter, the document that governs Rockville’s local government.

Three advisory referendum questions will appear on the ballot, with response options of yes, no or no opinion:

• In the City of Rockville, the term of office for the Mayor and the Councilmembers is currently two years. Do you favor increasing the term from two years to four years?
• City of Rockville elections are currently held every two years, in odd numbered years. Do you favor moving the City elections to be held every four years to coincide with the Presidential Election?
• The City of Rockville is currently governed by a Mayor and four Councilmembers. Do you favor increasing the membership of the Rockville Mayor and Council to a mayor and six councilmembers?

Future Mayor and Councils may consider the outcome of these advisory referendum questions but are not required to change the charter in response to the votes. The questions were recommended for the ballot by the City’s Charter Review Commission, which presented a report to the Mayor and Council in January. For more information on the commission, visit the City’s website Charter Review Commission page.

Sample ballots were recently mailed to all Rockville residents who were registered to vote. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Election Day (Nov. 5).

Residents who live within Rockville’s corporate limits and are registered to vote may vote in the City of Rockville election. Rockville is divided into 10 voting districts; please visit www.rockvillemd.gov/election13
to see a map of polling places.

For more information about Rockville’s upcoming election, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/election13 or call the City Clerk’s office at 240.314.8286.

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