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ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> Action Agenda <br /> I tem No <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: August 5, 1996 <br /> SUBJECT: ELECTION OF ORANGE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN DISTRICT ELECTIONS <br /> -------------------------------- ------------------------------- <br /> DEPARTMENT County Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING YES NO x <br /> -------------------------------- ------------------------------- <br /> BUDGE T AMENDMENT: YES NO <br /> ATTACHMENT(S) : NO INFORMATION CONTACT <br /> Moses Carey <br /> TELEPHONE NUMBER <br /> Hillsborough 732-8181 <br /> Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br /> Mebane 227-2031 <br /> Durham 688-7331 <br /> ----------------------------------------------------------------------- <br /> PURPOSE : To consider the future election of Orange County Commissioners in <br /> District Elections. <br /> BACKGROUND: The members of the Orange County Board of Commissioners are <br /> currently elected At-Large in partisan primary and general elections. Upon <br /> election, they serve in staggered four year terms which require two or <br /> three to run for re-election every two years . Two members are elected in <br /> Presidential election years and three members are elected in Non- <br /> Presidential years. Citizens in rural areas of the county have indicated a <br /> desire to have commissioners elected by district to insure that they will <br /> have a voice in county policy making. While district elections of <br /> commissioners will not in fact guarantee any particular group a voice in <br /> policy making, this system of electing commissioners could provide for <br /> geographical balance within Orange County among the elected county policy <br /> makers . This geographical balance could positively impact the perception <br /> of representativeness in policy making in Orange County. The proposal is <br /> that the County Commissioners be elected in the future by Residential <br /> District by countywide vote of the electorate. The current staggered terms <br /> will continue to apply. The current partisan nature of the election will <br /> continue to apply. The County will be subdivided into five Residential <br /> Districts . Each Residential District will be represented by one seat on <br /> the Board. All registered voters in the county will be eligible to vote on <br /> all candidates from a Residential District in the years they represent <br /> their party in the General election. Only voters in the particular party <br /> may vote on the candidates in their party in Primary elections . <br /> RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of County Commissioners adopt the above <br /> indicated Residential District Election Plan in principle and instruct the <br /> County Attorney and County Manager to gather information and produce a report <br /> which details a plan to implement this Residential District Election Plan as <br /> soon as possible. The report should include, but not be limited to, the <br /> legal authority of the county to take this action, any state or electorate <br /> approval needed, costs associated with implementation, a proposed process for <br /> establishing district lines. <br />