Lexington charter amendments: 3 ballot questions explained

Fayette County voters will see three questions about the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Charter on their ballot this year. The charter is the city-county government’s founding document, and changes to it need voter approval.

The three amendments would:

• raise Urban County Council pay to $59,987 a year, starting with the term that begins Jan. 6, 2031
• require the council to set attendance and accountability expectations for its members
• require a review of the charter at least once every eight years by residents chosen by lottery

Each question is voted on separately. You can vote for one and against another. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and no-excuse early voting runs Thursday, Oct. 29, to Saturday, Oct. 31.

Where the questions came from

The amendments started with Lexington’s first civic assembly, run this spring by the local nonprofit CivicLex. Residents selected at random met across seven sessions, 33 hours in total, to study the charter, CivicLex said.

The assembly backed each change by a supermajority, according to CivicLex:

The Urban County Council then passed ordinances on June 18 to put the three questions on the ballot, according to CivicLex’s Vote Local Lexington guide.

The exact ballot wording

This is the wording the Fayette County Clerk published in the charter questions for the ballot (PDF).

Charter Amendment 1: “Are you for or against ratification of an amendment to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Charter to provide that members of the Urban County Council shall receive a salary in the amount of $59,987 per year, adjusted to equate with the purchasing power of the dollar, effective for the term of office which begins January 6, 2031?”

Charter Amendment 2: “Are you for or against ratification of an amendment to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Charter that would require the Urban County Council to adopt attendance and accountability expectations for its members, effective for the term of office which begins January 4, 2027?”

Charter Amendment 3: “Are you for or against ratification of an amendment to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Charter that would require the Charter to be reviewed at least once every eight (8) years by a deliberative body of individuals selected by representative lottery and provide for the establishment of a permanent advisory body to make recommendations for amending the Charter, effective for the term of office which begins on January 4, 2027?”

Amendment 1: council pay

Council members now earn about $43,000 a year, according to CivicLex’s voter guide. The proposed $59,987 is the average annual wage in Lexington, using Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, CivicLex said.

Key points from the guide:

• the raise would not start until January 2031, after current council terms end
• the salary would be adjusted for inflation, under the ballot wording
• total council pay would rise from about $650,000 a year to about $900,000, in 2026 dollars, by CivicLex’s estimate

CivicLex said the assembly wanted people to be able to serve on the council without a second job. A vote against keeps the current pay, also adjusted for inflation, the guide said.

Amendment 2: attendance and accountability

A vote for would require the council to set attendance and accountability expectations for its members by ordinance. CivicLex said the assembly wanted those expectations to be publicly viewable, and suggested they include attendance records and a clear job description. The charter now has no such requirement, the guide said.

The change would take effect with the council term that starts Jan. 4, 2027.

Amendment 3: a charter review every eight years

A vote for would require a review of the charter at least once every eight years. A group of residents chosen by “representative lottery” would carry it out, much like the civic assembly. The amendment would also create a permanent advisory body to recommend charter changes.

The charter now sets no schedule for a review, CivicLex said.

What it means for you

• All three are countywide. Every Fayette County voter can vote on them, whatever their council district.
• Vote on each one separately. A yes on one does not count toward the others.
• Read the wording before you go. The ballot language above is the exact text you will see.
• Early voting: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, to Saturday, Oct. 31, at six Lexington Public Library vote centers.
• Election Day: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, at your precinct or any vote center.

Polling places, ID rules and the full list of races are on our voting in Fayette County page. For council members and how to reach them, see who to call at city hall.