On a 3-2 vote, the Owensboro City Commission has approved a measure that does away with primary elections for city offices. Mayor Ron Payne says city primaries are unnecessary in non-partisan races.
"With a two-year city commission term, under the present system, you're elected one year and you're filing in January and starting to run again," Payne tells WKU Public Radio. "You spend one year devoted to city business and the other year campaigning."
Opponents of the new Owensboro ordinance argue that primary elections allow candidates to interact more with voters.
A state law that took effect in January allows cities to eliminate primaries. The law does not affect primaries for county, state, or federal offices.
Bowling Green voted last year to eliminate primary elections for city offices.
