St. George's newly elected leaders will have to go back to the drawing board after voters opposed their proposed system of government.
Voters rejected the home rule charter, with 55% voting against it, according to complete but unofficial returns.
If approved, the charter would have given St. George a plan of government unique in h, featuring a hybrid system with powers split between the city council, a city manager and the mayor.
In this system, the city manager reports to the council and is responsible for many of the tasks normally assigned to the mayor's office in other cities like Baton Rouge.
The charter faced significant opposition since the start of the year, with critics taking issue with the fact that it was written by a commission created by unelected leaders. The candidates that were on the ballot Saturday for St. George's mayor's race and two city council races were split in their opinions on the charter.
With the charter failing, St. George will now operate under h's default form of government defined under the Lawrason Act.
From what he and others have been told by state officials, Murrell estimates it the soonest a new charter could go before voters is three years, based on interpretation of meetings laws requirements.
