Agenda - 05-05-2005-1b - Laserfiche WebLink

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January 24, 2005 Petition Cover Sheet APPENDIX A 50 Fair and Equal District Representation on the frame County Board of Commissioners Orange County is a diverse area comprised of identifiable communities which reflect the diversity of the county including farmers, blue collar workers, white collar workers, academics, professionals, and students, all of diverse racial and ethnic self identifications. It is important in our democracy that the diversity of the community be reflected in its chosen representatives. For this reason North Carolina Law permits the voters of counties to choose commissioners by electoral districts with each district being as nearly equal in population as practicable. Further, North Carolina Law permits the qualified voters of each district to nominate candidates and elect members who reside in the district for seats apportioned to that district, It is also permissible to have some commissioners allocated to the county as a whole, whom the qualified voters of the entire county nominate and elect. (NCGS §153- 58(3)b) Currently all Orange County Commissioners are elected countywide. Thus the large city and urban population in and around Chapel Hill and Carrboro control the electoral process while the more rural areas of the county lack the population to elect someone from their areas who would be able to represent their views in the deliberations and decisions of the Orange County Commissioners. The undersigned residents of Orange County petition the Orange County Board of Commissioners to alter the method and manner by which Orange County Commissioners are elected to afford equal and fair representation to the residents of the county by adopting NCGS §153- 58(3)b, permitting the voters of Orange County to choose commissioners by electoral districts with each district being as nearly equal in population as practicable. Further, that the qualified voters of each district nominate candidates and elect members who reside in the district for seats apportioned to that district and that some commissioners, but not more than half of the board, be allocated to the county as a whole, to be nominated and voted upon by the qualified voters of the entire county.