How to write when something happened

[Mr. X]

If a vote at a city council meeting comes after midnight, should I write that the vote was taken March 2 or March 1, when the meeting started?

I am writing a story previewing a ceremony Sunday formally renaming a street, which came as the result of that council vote. One vote was cast against the renaming.

I'm thinking I should write, "The City Council voted 4-1 March 2 to approve the name change."

 

[Harry Doyle]

The meeting was March 1, but it lasted into the early hours of March 2, when the council voted 4-1 to approve a meaningless name change that will do nothing to reduce crime or increase literacy in our city.

 

[reformedhack]

You could say "... voted at its March 1 meeting." The fact that it lasted into a second day is contextually irrelevant. If you absolutely have to be specific about the day of the vote, it's March 2, but I'm betting it's not important. Don't confuse the readers if you can avoid it.

 

[SixToe]

"... voted 4-1 in its March 1 meeting, which was longer than usual and ended after midnight."