In a recent government meeting, city officials grappled with the complexities surrounding mayoral term limits, stemming from conflicting referendums passed in 2016 and 2020. The discussions revealed significant confusion over the application of these term limits, which currently impose differing restrictions: the 2016 referendum allows for four four-year terms, while the 2020 referendum limits it to three four-year terms.

Officials noted that the 2020 referendum did not explicitly repeal the earlier 2016 measure, leading to ambiguity about which term limit should prevail. This inconsistency has raised concerns about potential legal disputes in the future.

To resolve the issue, officials proposed placing a new referendum on the ballot that would explicitly repeal both the 2016 and 2020 measures, thereby establishing a clear and coherent term limit framework. This approach aims to eliminate the ongoing confusion and provide voters with a definitive choice regarding the future of mayoral term limits.

The meeting also highlighted the necessity of adhering to the Illinois Constitution, which mandates that any changes to the selection or eligibility of officeholders must be decided through a referendum. As the city council has previously failed to take decisive action on this matter, the officials emphasized the importance of addressing the conflicting referendums to avoid further complications.