Mayor Breaks Tie as Mitchell Council Moves Forward on Term Limits Debate

Mitchell Mayor Jordan Hanson cast his first tie-breaking vote to advance a controversial term limits ordinance during Monday's City Council meeting. The 4-4 deadlock was broken after a lengthy debate, setting the ordinance up for a decisive second vote. I

By Christal Blue May 21, 2025 11:45 am

Mitchell South Dakota term limits mayor and city council term cap Councilman Mike Bathke Mitchell petition drive three-term city council limit Mitchell mayor term proposal June 2026 ballot measure Mitchell local government reform term limits debate South Dakota city leadership turnover Mitchell Republic report special election cost savings fresh voices in city leadership local government experience vs change — Mitchell Now

MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) Mitchell Mayor Jordan Hanson cast his first official vote to break a 4-4 tie on the City Council on Monday, pushing forward a term limits ordinance. The vote came after a long debate during the meeting and marked just the first reading. The ordinance still needs final approval in a future vote. The proposed term limits would cap elected officials at three consecutive terms. But there are some big exceptions: past terms wouldn’t count, so current and former members could serve three more terms. Officials could also switch between mayor and council roles and even return after a short 18-month break. The final decision is still up in the air as the council prepares for a second vote in the coming weeks. For more Government stories from MitchellNow.com, Click Here

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