Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird speaks to reporters, while Lincoln City Council chair Brodey Weber listens on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026 inside the Renaissance Room at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel in downtown Lincoln about alternatives to three Lincoln City Charter Amendments to appear on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot. (Jeff Motz/KFOR News)LINCOLN–(KFOR Sept. 14)–Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and Lincoln City Council Chair Brodey Weber on Monday unveiled to KFOR News and other media members alternate charter amendments they are sponsoring, after the Nebraska Supreme Court last week ordered three city election initiatives from Good Government Lincoln to be placed on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. Gaylor Baird said the first alternate amendment would still move the mayor and district council elections to even years, but allow them to serve most of their term as the city transitions. The second Good Government Lincoln initiative would also set term limits for city council members and shorten their current terms, Gaylor Baird said. The city’s alternate amendment would also set three consecutive-term limits but allow council members to serve more of their term, similar to mayoral term limits. “Having the same term limits for the city council makes the most sense, especially since very few people are willing to run for what can be a very challenging job that doesn’t pay too well,” Gaylor Baird said. In August, Good Government Lincoln turned in petition signatures for three charter-election petitions that aim to change city election dates, set term limits for city council members and let certain residents outside city limits vote. “They’re only proposing these amendments in Lincoln,” Gaylor Baird said. “No other city in Nebraska apparently needs these reforms.” According to Gaylor Baird, Good Government Lincoln’s first initiative would move city elections to even years and force back-to-back mayor and district council elections in 2027 and 2028. “Their scheme would reduce what would be because of my existing mayoral term limits my final term in office from four years to just over one and a half years,” Gaylor Baird said. She said it would also shorten the next term of the district council members and make it count toward city council term limits should voters approve term limits for council members. But Weber also urged residents to vote against Good Government Lincoln’s third initiative to let people outside city limits vote in city elections. “This is an unprecedented move in our state and would be unfair to our city property taxpayers,” Weber said. The alternate charter amendments will appear on the City Council’s agenda on Monday.  Weber adds they are moving this process along “as quickly as possible.”   ...read more read less