Three amendments to Lexington’s city charter on the ballot Tuesday were approved by voters, increasing pay for Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council members, stipulating attendance and more.
Lexington’s urban county charter works similarly to a local constitution, and amendments require a vote.
Amendment 1, which voters passed 61,936 to 39,515, raises the salary of council members to $59,987 per year starting in 2031. That's an increase from $43,000 annually.
Supporters said the comparatively low pay can be a barrier to entry for those interested in public office. Opponents argued the higher pay could result in longer terms for council members and keep away fresher faces.
Passed on a vote of 94%, Amendment 2 creates publicly viewable attendance records for those elected officials, along with other accountability measures.
The details of those still need to be finalized in an ordinance passed by the body at a later date.
Amendment 3, carried on a 86,871 to 14,743 vote Tuesday, requires Lexington to review the charter at least once every eight years.
A group of residents will be selected through a representative lottery to conduct those reviews. The amendment also creates an advisory body for that group.
All three amendments were created by a civic assembly of 36 randomly selected residents, organized by civic education nonprofit CivicLex earlier this year.
