AUBURN – Voters will pick a slate of six at-large charter commissioners in this November’s election.

Having an odd number of commissioners was the deciding factor for at least three city councilors Monday. The council will appoint three members to the commission after this November’s election, in addition to the six at-large commissioners, for a total of nine on the commission.

Councilor Belinda Gerry said she favored having voters select commissioners from within their own ward. That would gave provided five elected commissioners, and eight total with the council’s appointments.

That could lead to a deadlocked vote, Mayor Normand Guay said.

“If they can’t agree, there might be no new charter,” Guay said. “After a year of work, it would amount to nothing.”

Councilors Bethel Shields, Richard Livingston, Joe DeFilipp and Bob Mennealy all agreed. The measure passed 4-1. Councilors Kelly Matzen and Marcel Bilodeau were absent.

Those who want to serve on the commission can get nominating petitions from the city clerk’s office today. They need to collect 25 signatures from registered Auburn voters to get their names on the ballot. Within 30 days of the vote, commissioners need to schedule a public meeting to get information and listen to opinions about the charter. Their first draft preliminary report is due to the public within nine months and the final report within a year. The final report must include the proposed changes to the charter, explain why the commission wants those changes and compare the old and new charters.

A final public vote on the charter revisions would be scheduled at least 35 days after the final report is issued. If voters agree, the new charter would become the law in Auburn on the first day of the next year – probably Jan. 1, 2006.

Voters adopted the current charter in Nov. 1990. They amended it in 1992 and 1994.