|
Comment on this article |
View comments |
Email this Article
|
|
News :: Elections & Legislation |
|
County Clerk Supports Voting Reform |
Current rating: 0 |
by Zach Miller
Email: zach (nospam) chambana.net (unverified!) |
09 Sep 2005
|
|
Champaign County Clerk Mark Shelden posted to the County Clerk's blog today about the recent opinion by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan that Home Rule municipalities, such as the cities of Champaign and Urbana, may adopt alternative voting methods. |
|
Quoted from the Champaign County Clerk's blog:
Attorney General Lisa Madigan has issued an opinion that suggests that Home Rule municipalities (Champaign, Urbana, and Rantoul in Champaign County) may adopt, by referendum, instant runoff (IRV) and cumulative voting within their communities. The opinion relies on the Illinois Constitution and finds a distinction (correctly I believe) between the "form of government" and the "manner of selection" of officers.
Instant runoff voting is a favorite of political reformers, including many local green party members. In fact, local Green Party activist and U of I law student, Jennifer Walling, actually put together and submitted legal arguments that made their way to the Attorney General. It can be anticipated that many of our local reformers will be looking for the opportunity to put either or both of these issues on the ballot for Champaign and Urbana.
IRV is not just about election reform. It can also be a cost savings for election officials and it also makes it more practical for military, overseas, and other absentee voters to participate in the municipal elections. It will be interesting to see how this plays out locally in the twin cities. It’s an effort I would support.
|
See also:
http://www.champaigncountyclerk.com/blogger/2005/09/new-election-methods-in-cu.html
http://www.ucimc.org/newswire/display/94307/index.php
|
This work is in the public domain |
|
Re: County Clerk Supports Voting Reform |
by Christopher Alix
alix (nospam) prairiecity.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
12 Sep 2005
|
Last November, I chaired an ad-hoc citizen group called Plus 2 For Urbana, which promoted a referendum to add two at-large seats to the seven ward seats on the Urbana City Council. The goal of this effort was to address significant inequities resulting from the combination of strict ward-based elections and a ward map which emphasizes politics over fairness. The most notable of these problems were (and are) chronic underrepresentation of growing areas of Urbana; the inability for minority, student, and third-party groups to organize on a community-wide basis; and a lack of meaninfgul choice for voters as a result of uncontested seats at the primary and general election levels. Predictably, that referendum was successfully opposed by supporters of sitting Council members who benefitted from the status quo.
The limitations of the current electoral system and its susceptibility to gerrymandering and other well-worn tools of partisan politics are well documented. Alternate systems which fall under the general classification of "instant run-off" or "cumulative" voting offer a very real opportunity to address the problems at which the "Plus 2" referendum was directed, to increase interest and participation in the political process, and to promote diversity of ideas over "business as usual."
I am pleased to hear of AG Madigan's opinion and of Clerk Shelden's support for alternative voting methods. I would wholeheartedly support efforts to adopt a more inclusive and more equitable voting system for local elections in Urbana. |
