City of Springfield Charter Question 3 — purchasing by ordinance (Greene County)

What it does

Shall Sections 3.3(9), 5.3, 5.4, 10.4, 15.8, and 19.19 of the Springfield City Charter be amended to authorize the city council to fully establish purchasing by ordinance, including the organizational structure, thresholds, and types; expressly designate the city manager as the default signatory for purchasing; and apply the existing competitive bidding requirement to additional purchasing methods, as more fully set forth in General Ordinance No. 28331?

A YES vote means

The Springfield City Council could fully set purchasing rules by ordinance, the city manager would be the default signer for purchases, and competitive bidding rules would apply to more purchasing methods.

A NO vote means

The charter's current purchasing provisions would not change.

Needed to pass

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Left–right lean

Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Background

According to the city, this is one of four charter updates on the ballot, set out in General Ordinance No. 28331, after a review of the 1953 charter by city leaders.

The city says the charter now requires most city purchasing to go through the Purchasing division of the Finance Department.

The city says the change would let the City Council set purchasing rules by ordinance and make the City Manager the default signer of city contracts within limits set by the council, while keeping competitive bidding and applying it to more types of purchases.

Put on the ballot by Springfield City Council, General Ordinance No. 28331 (date and vote not stated on the city page).

From official source.

Next elections here

• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Also on Greene County ballots

• City of Springfield Charter Question 1 — delegation of city manager and director duties
• City of Springfield Charter Question 2 — merit rule adoption process
• City of Springfield Charter Question 4 — gender-neutral charter language

All Greene County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on City of Springfield Charter Question 3 mean?

The Springfield City Council could fully set purchasing rules by ordinance, the city manager would be the default signer for purchases, and competitive bidding rules would apply to more purchasing methods.

What does a NO vote on City of Springfield Charter Question 3 mean?

The charter's current purchasing provisions would not change.

How many votes does City of Springfield Charter Question 3 need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on City of Springfield Charter Question 3?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.