Orange County NC Website
7 <br /> • <br /> 2. The election method should be changed to either combination of district/at-large <br /> system or cumulative voting which is a proportional election method. <br /> a. District/At-large System - If the size of the Board of Commissioners is <br /> increased to seven members, under this system, the Board would be <br /> elected at large, however, the county would be divided into five residential <br /> districts. Five candidates must meet residence requirements. The remaining <br /> two members would be elected at large with no residence requirement. An <br /> illustration of possible County residential districts is included as Attachment <br /> III. <br /> This system would require candidates to be nominated within the district <br /> with voting to take place in the district in the primary election and the <br /> primary winners would be placed on the ballot for the general election. All <br /> County residents would be eligible to vote for the district winners as well as <br /> the at-large candidates. <br /> This system can be adopted by a majority vote of the Board of <br /> Commissioners. <br /> b. Proportional Election Method -Cumulative voting: Under this system,voters <br /> would be allowed to cast as many votes as there were open seats on the <br /> board. For example, if the present Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> was elected by cumulative voting, each voter would get five votes that he <br /> or she could cast among the candidates in any fashion. One vote could be <br /> cast for each of the candidates, or five votes for one candidate or any other <br /> possible combination. <br /> In order to utilize this system, Orange County must petition its legislative <br /> delegation for introduction and passage of a local bill seeking permission <br /> to adopt this system. <br /> 5 <br />