2005-01-03 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I attended everypublic task force hearing, andldo take issue with the report's description of the turnout as being "low" and statements' that there was a "lack of interest" among the citizens of Charlottesville. In fact, when compared to the most recent public hearings hem by this body to discuss moving the elections to November (at which 3 or d citizens commented at the two opportunities given), the attendance and participation at the Elections Task Force hearings can be considered quite substantial. I wouM also note that there were more people in attendance for the entire meeting at many of these public hearings than there are in attendance at many of our City Council meetings. Disenfranchisement of Minority Community: I was disheartened, but not surprised to read the quote from an African-American citizen explaining the "low" turn-out of African-Americans at the public hearings, as follows: "FEe 'ye tried to change the system so many times; we 'ye just grown tired of trying." Another section of the report, entitled: "City government is not responsive to the needs' and inquiries of the citizens, "goes on to say that many felt there was no point in attending the hearings, that nothing was going to happen just like the last time (when the City Council disregarded the results' ora referendum, which passed in 6 of the city's 8 precincts', to move to a mixed-ward/at-large system). The reason that this sentiment did not surprise me is that after I brought the concept of this Task Force forward, I had calls' and contacts from several members of Charlottesville's minority community, encouraging me to continue, but fearing that once again, their desires for fair representation in city government would fall on deaf ears. This troubfing perception of institutionalized disenfranchisement calls for decisive action on behalf of this council, in order to remedy ongoing issues of equity and access. Opening the System: In the broad context of the elections discussion, brought forth by former Vice-Mayor Meredith Richards' was the idea of non-partisan elections. This idea is discussed at some length in the report. Notably, the report states that while Charlottesville and seven other cities in Virginia allow parties to nominate candidates to the ballot, most cities require candidates to obtain petition signatures as the only means to be listed on the ballot. Although implementation of this practice does not necessarily preclude party involvement in the election process, it will open our Council elections up to far greater competition, thus increasing voter interest and ultimately, voter turnout. It is interesting to note that no independent candidate has been elected to the Charlottesville City Council since the 1930s, and that no Independent African-American has even attempted to run for a City Council seat since 1984. FEhile there have only been five individual African-Americans ever to serve on Charlottesville's City Council, it seems unlikely that, with roughly 25% of our voting-eligible population identifying themselves as African-American in the recent census, so few have been elected or even afforded a nomination to run for Council office. Moving to a solely petition-based system of ballot inclusion for candidates will open up the process to more people in general and will allow for more diverse representation on City Council as opposed to the "engineered appearance" of succession visible over the past 35 years. I call on this council to explore a charter amendment similar to those adopted in Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, and Hampton, as referenced by our City Attorney in the report's appendix, wherein Charlottesville's charter, in conformance with State law, can be changed to allow only one method for Council candidates to get on the ballot and that is by collecting enough signatures to do so. Recommendations: When I originally proposed the formation of this Task Force, I asked that its' charge be structured similarly to the charge of the Citizen's Committee to Study Council Changes,