Minutes 09-06-2018 Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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18 Commissioner McKee proposed, and eliminate the at-large seats, which have traditionally been used as tool for advancing majority voting interests against minority voting interests. Chair Dorosin said having 4-3 is more democratic than having 3, 2 and 2. Commissioner McKee said he is not opposed to that. Chair Dorosin said the committee would need to have all the facts as to what requires legislature action and what does not. He said this is not just symbolic as perception is reality, and if people perceive they are not being represented, then that has value. Chair Dorosin said there is huge amount of unaffiliated voters in each district, and they need to be moving toward 7 districts. Commissioner Jacobs said he hopes, as part of this committee, the idea of cumulative voting will at least be introduced to the public. He said the at-large seats are the ones that represent everyone. He said Orange County has tried to ethically represent everyone, whether in their districts or not. He said the at-large seats provide a buffer between the political district war between the people who live in different parts of the County. He said the people in the middle represent everyone by their very nature. Commissioner Price said it is important to hear from the community, and what she hears is that the at-large positions are controlled by Chapel Hill, whether one lives in Chapel Hill or not. Commissioner Price said in other areas districts have actual blocks, and wonders what this would look like here. Commissioner Marcoplos said you have to have 5% margin of error, so you have to dip down into the urban population density to make every district within 5% population of the other. Commissioner Marcoplos said he agreed with Commissioner Jacobs about the at-large positions. He said he has run in District 2 and at-large, and if one is campaigning for an at-large seat, one will go all around the County. He said if there are districts, one will be inclined to stay in one’s own districted area. Commissioner Marcoplos said this proposed change is based on ignorance, and will not change anything. He suggested waiting to see what the legislature will do. He said this was a big issue in 1993, after he ran in 1992, and many felt unrepresented. He said Moses Carey had a citizens committee that came out with a report that recommended going to districts or cumulative voting. He suggested getting that report. Commissioner McKee said there is no way that Orange County can increase the animus that the General Assembly has for Orange County. Commissioner Price said under the current system, she was forced to campaign in District 1, which was helpful because the issues that the Board deals with cross over district lines. Chair Dorosin asked Greg Wilder if Orange County is the only county in the State that has the district primary, and at-large general. Greg Wilder said there are three counties that do something similar, but not exactly the same. He said Orange County is the only one in the State that does it exactly this way. Chair Dorosin said historically, what was the rationale to have the primary for districts, and county-wide for the general election. Commissioner Jacobs said because they had been all at-large seats, and it was basically to force people to interact across the entire County. Chair Dorosin said he is tired of acting out of fear of what the legislature will or will not do, but realistically getting the authority to enact cumulative voting is a long reach, but it is good to introduce this and be a leader. Chair Dorosin said there is a majority willing to set up to a committee to do public hearings, etc. He asked if staff would come back with a charge, or outline of a charge, for this committee, timeline, membership, etc. Commissioner Price said to add the concept of cumulative voting.