House moves municipal and school elections to dates aligned with higher turnout

The House passed House Bill 11‑30 on Feb. 10, a bill that would permit municipal and school district elections to be held on either the June primary or the November general election date.

Representative Mortensen, the bill’s sponsor on the floor, said the measure aims to increase voter participation. Mortensen argued turnout for standalone city and school elections is often single digits and that the law currently prohibits those elections from being held on the November general‑election date. “This bill makes it that the allowable city and school election dates would be the primary election date in June or the November election date each year,” he said, noting the change could be applied in odd‑numbered years to accommodate terms that do not coincide with legislative elections.

Mortensen told members the reform is intended to remove procedural barriers and make it easier for voters to participate in local governance. He described the change as “the greatest improvement in voter participation in this state in decades.”

There were no extended floor amendments recorded in the transcript excerpt. The clerk later announced the roll‑call result as ayes 52, nays 16, excused 1; the House declared House Bill 11‑30 passed.

The transcript records the sponsor’s rationale and the recorded vote; the bill’s next legislative steps (enrollment, senate action or signature) are not recorded in the excerpt.