Agenda - 04-18-2017 - 8-a - Minutes

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19 1 Commissioner Marcoplos said if changes are going to be made, the change should be 2 one that really makes a difference. He said he does not find Commissioner McKee's 3 suggestion to be worth the effort. He said in cumulative voting, one can use the power of one's 4 vote. He said it is a community building solution as well. 5 Chair Dorosin said the reality of getting something positive from the legislature is 6 daunting. He said there needs to be a fairer election system. He said there is the perception 7 that the current system is unfair, and this needs to be moved away from. He said at-large 8 elections are the least fair, and having residents run in districts, and to be elected from those 9 same districts, is fairer. 10 Chair Dorosin said he does not believe Commissioner McKee's suggestion would lead 11 to the Balkanization of the County, and it is interesting that the current at-large Commissioners 12 come from outside District 1. 13 Chair Dorosin said residents feel disenfranchised with the current system, and it would 14 be interesting to look at voter registration in each of the districts. 15 Commissioner Burroughs asked if the proposal would be to leave the at-large 16 Commissioners as they are, but make the districts vote primary and general election within the 17 districts. 18 Chair Dorosin said he would be amenable to get rid of the at-large positions and have 19 four Commissioners from District 1, and three from District 2; or however the numbers broke 20 down fairly. He asked if such a change could be done by a referendum. 21 John Roberts said yes, this could be done by referendum. 22 Commissioner Price said a Republican or an Independent can win in District 2, and it 23 would be more possible with the change proposed by Commissioner McKee. She said when 24 Chapel Hill votes in general elections the balance is shifted. She said this concern is often 25 raised to her, as it leads to Chapel Hill and Carrboro determining elections. 26 Chair Dorosin said a fair voting system does not mean that everyone gets to elect 27 whomever they want. He said if the minority is small enough, it will not be able to overcome the 28 majority. He said the question is whether or not the system is created fairly. 29 Commissioner Marcoplos agreed, and said the point of cumulative voting is that 30 everyone has a chance. He said in general elections the Commissioners are usually an 31 afterthought, since people vote their party. 32 Commissioner Marcoplos said for a Republican to win, he/she must appeal on the 33 issues across the County. He said if the County moved to having just two districts, and no at- 34 large positions, break down might be five commissioners in district 1, and 2 in district 2; based 35 on population. He said this would make residents in the rural part of the County very upset. 36 Commissioner Marcoplos asked if the legislature was asked to consider cumulative 37 voting for Orange County, would it give a yes or no answer. 38 Commissioner Jacobs said, if invited in, the legislature could change it to whatever it 39 pleased, as seen in Greensboro and Wake County. 40 Commissioner Jacobs referred to the issue of independent voters, and said this is an 41 increasingly larger group. He said the BOCC should gather more information on this group. 42 He said he is more interested in finding out how to get these people to run, than he is in 43 messing with the districts. He said candidates should run on issues. 44 Chair Dorosin asked John Roberts if having non-partisan elections would require 45 legislative approval. 46 John Roberts said yes. 47 Commissioner Price referred to Commissioner Jacobs' comments, and said in other 48 states one has to be registered with a party to vote in a primary. 49 Commissioner McKee said he just wanted to tweak the system, not to change it. He 50 said he believes it is a perception problem, rather than a real problem. He said it has been over