Ames residents have forced a special election in which City Council terms could be reduced.

The vote would reduce all terms from four years to two.

“We’re trying to bring light to the issue that students and short-term residents’ concerns are not going to be heard,” said Henry Alliger, speaker of the Government of the Student Body senate.

The petition was signed by 731 people, mostly students, which was more than the required amount. A petition can force a special election when signed by 10 percent of the total number of people who voted in the last city election.

In November 2003, votes were cast by 4,536 people, which means only 453 votes were needed, according to The (Ames) Tribune.

Alliger said the petition is meant to push the “one community” concept, an attempt to improve relations between students and the community. The shorter Council terms would make it more feasible for students to be involved with city government.

The petition asks for all City Council terms to be reduced to two years, with the exception of the mayor’s, which would remain a four-year term, Councilman Matthew Goodman said.

“I’m just very excited that the student body is taking an interest and that they are trying to achieve results within the context of city government and not feeling limited to university issues, and that’s great,” he said.

Alliger said he believes the two-year terms would be effective because state House terms are two years, even though House members have a lot to learn in those two years.

“We aren’t trying to bring instability to the Council,” he said.

“We’re trying to bring light to the issue that students’ and short-term residents’ concerns are not going to be heard.”

Goodman said although he is happy students want to be involved, he is concerned that the short term would make it difficult to become effective on the council.

“The other issue I have is that campaigning takes time, and when you go to a two-year term, not that they don’t occur in other places, it’s just it is that much more time you have to spend campaigning rather than learning and working,” he said.

“Achievable results are much more likely with a four-year term.”

Mayor Ted Tedesco said he did not think the petition was a good idea.

GSB, he said, should have come to the city to discuss the issues instead of pushing the petition.

“Nobody thought about what they were doing with this petition,” Tedesco said.

Goodman said the Council will decide when the election will be held.

Tedesco said the special election is planned for April 5 and would cost the city up to $14,000. The election, he said, would coincide with the hotel/motel tax increase vote.

Alliger, however, said he hopes the two issues do not appear on the same ballot.

“I think students and short-term residents are more concerned with the length of City Council terms than the hotel/motel tax,” he said. “The issues would be blurred together. Students would vote against the tax.”

Because of the cost, Tedesco said, it would make more sense to have both of the issues on the same ballot.

He also said he thinks Ames residents have a vested interest in both issues.

“Does GSB want to pay for the special election?” he said.

“We might as well save $15,000.”

Alliger said more people voted in the last GSB election than the last City Council election and that about 56 percent of the Ames population is students.

“If student voters are strong, there is a chance it will pass,” he said.

— Josh Nelson contributed to this article.