This is how to get more people voting in Modesto mayoral elections

The mayor should be elected by most Modesto voters, not a pathetically small fraction.

When the Modesto City Council is asked in a few weeks to put before voters in November the question of changing future mayoral elections, the council should say “yes.” And in November, Modesto voters also should agree to the switch.

The way it works now — an initial voting round in November, followed by a February runoff if no candidate wins more than half the November votes — makes little sense to those who value democracy in action. That’s because November elections are popular and February ones aren’t.

The result: Our last three mayors — Garrad Marsh (elected in 2012), Ted Brandvold (2016) and Sue Zwahlen (2021)— have been chosen in February with less than 30% of Modesto voters participating. That’s pitiful.

Zwahlen’s runoff victory came three months after 77% of Modesto voters cast ballots in the exciting Biden v. Trump presidential election, which also featured intriguing races for Congress, California Senate and Assembly, school and irrigation boards, and more.

The drop from 77% voter participation in November to 29% in February was both disheartening and entirely predictable.

Here’s another way to look at it: Zwahlen received more votes (19,914) when she ran against seven other candidates in November than when she ultimately won the mayor’s post in February (19,423). For context, 83,733 Modesto voters cast ballots in November, while only 33,760 bothered in her February runoff against Doug Ridenour.

The status quo is, in a word, unacceptable.

Maximize Modesto election turnout

A few months ago, a citizens’ committee tasked with reviewing the city charter — a code outlining how the city runs — recommended moving the initial voting round of the mayoral election to coincide with the presidential primary, which in California is March or June, with a runoff if needed in November. The common-sense suggestion aligned with a Modesto Bee’s editorial position issued a year ago.

In a late November workshop, the City Council took up the recommendation along with a few others, including dropping a requirement that the city manager live in Modesto and broadening qualifications for city auditor to attract more qualified candidates and provide greater job protection for the auditor.

The council majority agreed that the mayoral election should be moved, and the council in April is expected to formally ratify that decision and schedule a citywide November vote on these charter amendments.

It shouldn’t be a close call.

Before a November presidential election, people are engaged and excited about politics. By February, enthusiasm always drops dramatically.

Anything boosting historically feeble voter turnout of less than 30% to more than 75% is worthwhile. That it can be accomplished with a simple timing switch makes all the sense in the world.