Task Force on Elected Representation FINAL REPORT & FINDINGS C - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

▶

Nov 19, 2023 362 likes •560 views

Task Force on Elected Representation FINAL REPORT & FINDINGS C O M M I S S I O N Overview C I T Y R A P I D S T h e G r a n d R a p i d s C i t y C o m m i s s i o n a p p o i n t e d t h e G R A N D T a s k F o r c e o n E l e c t e d R e

SLIDE 1

Task Force on Elected Representation

FINAL REPORT & FINDINGS

SLIDE 2 T h e G r a n d R a p i d s C i t y C o m m i s s i o n a p p o i n t e d t h e T a s k F o r c e o n E l e c t e d R e p r e s e n t a t i o n ( T F E R ) t o e v a l u a t e f o u r v o t e r - i n i t i a t e d p r o p o s a l s t o c h a n g e m u n i c i p a l e l e c t i o n s i n t h e C i t y . W e , a s t h e m e m b e r s

f t h e T F E R , h a v e t h o u g h t f u l l y r e v i e w e d e a c h o f t h e

f o u r p r o p o s a l s . T h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s o u t l i n e d i n t h i s r e p o r t r e f l e c t a c o n s e n s u s o f t h e T F E R m e m b e r s .

Overview

A P R O J E C T F O R T H E G R A N D R A P I D S C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N

SLIDE 3

Process

T h e T F E R a p p r o x i m a t e l y e v e r y t w o w e e k s f r o m A u g u s t t h r o u g h D e c e m b e r . W e e v a l u a t e d i s s u e s l i k e o v e r a l l e l e c t o r a l p r o c e s s e s a n d g e n e r a l b e s t p r a c t i c e s . W e c o n s u l t e d o u t s i d e e x p e r t s , r e v i e w e d s c h o l a r l y w o r k o n e l e c t i o n s , a n d d i s c u s s e d t h e s t r u c t u r e s o f f a i r a n d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e e l e c t i o n s . 0 3 O n T h u r s d a y , O c t o b e r 1 0 , 2 0 1 9 , w e h e l d c o m m u n i t y m e e t i n g s i n t h e C i t y ’ s t h r e e w a r d s t o g a i n f e e d b a c k f r o m r e s i d e n t s a n d s t a k e h o l d e r s .

SLIDE 4 We established a set values to frame the discussion on each issue. The following fundamental values were key to the health and democratic nature of our electoral system:

Values

A P R O J E C T F O R T H E G R A N D R A P I D S C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N A C C O U N T A B I L I T Y : T h e s y s t e m m u s t f a c i l i t a t e g o o d g o v e r n a n c e a n d e n s u r e t h a t r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s ’ b e h a v i o r i s a l i g n e d w i t h t h e i n t e r e s t o f t h e i r c o n s t i t u e n t s . F A I R N E S S : T h e s y s t e m m u s t p r o d u c e e l e c t i o n s t h a t a r e e q u a l l y a c c e s s i b l e t o a l l c i t i z e n s , r e d u c e b a r r i e r s t o e n t r y a n d a r e i m p a r t i a l i n p r o c e s s a n d a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . E N G A G E M E N T : P r i o r i t y i s g i v e n t o t h e s y s t e m t h a t p r o v i d e s t h e g r e a t e s t o p p o r t u n i t y f o r c i t i z e n s t o b e c o m e a c t i v e a n d e n g a g e d i n l o c a l i s s u e s . R E P R E S E N T A T I O N : T h e s y s t e m s h o u l d m a i n t a i n i t s d e m o c r a t i c l e g i t i m a c y w h i l e e n s u r i n g t h e i n c l u s i o n o f u n d e r - r e p r e s e n t e d v o i c e s a n d p e r s p e c t i v e s .

SLIDE 5

4 Issues of Focus

ODD VS EVEN YEAR ELECTIONS M o v i n g e l e c t i o n s t o e v e n - n u m b e r e d y e a r s , c o n c u r r e n t w i t h s t a t e a n d n a t i o n a l e l e c t i o n s . C i t y e l e c t i o n s c u r r e n t l y t a k e p l a c e i n o d d - n u m b e r e d y e a r s , s e p a r a t e f r o m m a j o r s t a t e a n d n a t i o n a l e l e c t i o n s . 8 SINGLE-MEMBER WARDS C h a n g i n g t h e C i t y C o m m i s s i o n f r o m i t s c u r r e n t f o r m ( t w o C o m m i s s i o n e r s r e p r e s e n t i n g e a c h o f t h r e e W a r d s ) t o a n e x p a n d e d C o m m i s s i o n w i t h e i g h t s i n g l e - m e m b e r d i s t r i c t s . FORCED GENERAL ELECTION R e q u i r i n g g e n e r a l e l e c t i o n s , r e g a r d l e s s o f w h e t h e r a c a n d i d a t e r e c e i v e s t h e m a j o r i t y o f v o t e s d u r i n g p r i m a r y e l e c t i o n s . SPECIAL ELECTIONS VS APPOINTMENTS R e q u i r i n g a s p e c i a l e l e c t i o n t o f i l l a n y v a c a n c y

n t h e C i t y C o m m i s s i o n .

A P R O J E C T F O R T H E G R A N D R A P I D S C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N

SLIDE 6

Recommendations

T h e T F E R p r o d u c e d r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s o n t h e f o u r i s s u e s w e w e r e c h a r g e d w i t h r e v i e w i n g . I t i s o u r i n t e n t i o n t o b e a r e s o u r c e t o t h e C i t y C o m m i s s i o n a n d t h e r e s i d e n t s o f G r a n d R a p i d s a s t h e y u l t i m a t e l y d e t e r m i n e t h e b e s t m e a n s o f e l e c t i n g r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f o r o u r c o m m u n i t y . T h e r e f o r e , o u r c o n c l u s i o n s i n c o r p o r a t e a r g u m e n t s b o t h f o r a n d a g a i n s t o u r r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s . W e a l s o i n c l u d e a s e c t i o n w i t h a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n o n e l e c t o r a l i s s u e s t h a t w e f e e l d e s e r v e c o n s i d e r a t i o n w h e n m a k i n g f u t u r e e l e c t o r a l r e f o r m s . A P R O J E C T F O R T H E G R A N D R A P I D S C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N

SLIDE 7

Odd VS Even Year Elections

Significantly increase the democratic legitimacy

f elections. The participation rate is 3 to 4

times higher than odd-year elections. More representative of the population, with minority communities better reflecting their proportion of the electorate. Improves efficiency of City election administration, resulting in fewer elections to administer and lower cost. THE TFER RECOMMENDS THAT CITY ELECTIONS BE MOVED TO EVEN YEARS, IN COORDINATION WITH STATE AND NATIONAL ELECTIONS. Primary Reasons for Even-Year Elections: S t a t e a n d n a t i o n a l i s s u e s m a y d o m i n a t e t h e a t t e n t i o n o f e l e c t o r a t e , P o s s i b l e i n c r e a s e d v o t e r f a t i g u e a n d a d e c l i n e i n p a r t i c i p a t i o n t o w a r d t h e e n d o f t h e b a l l o t . P r i m a r y R e a s o n s A g a i n s t T F E R P o s i t i o n : A P R O J E C T F O R T H E G R A N D R A P I D S C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N

SLIDE 8 T h e T F E R d o e s n o t b e l i e v e t h e p r o p o s a l f o r e i g h t s i n g l e - m e m b e r w a r d s i s a b e t t e r s t r u c t u r e t h a n t h e c u r r e n t s y s t e m o f t h r e e w a r d s w i t h t w o r e p r e s e n t a t i v e p e r w a r d . T h e T F E R d o e s n o t r e c o m m e n d t h e p r o p o s a l f o r e i g h t s i n g l e - m e m b e r w a r d s . W e b e l i e v e t h e c u r r e n t m u n i c i p a l e l e c t o r a l s t r u c t u r e i n t h e C i t y c a n a n d s h o u l d b e i m p r o v e d t o m a k e i t m o r e i n c l u s i v e a n d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e . D e t e r m i n i n g t h e p r e c i s e f o r m u l a f o r c h a n g i n g t h e s y s t e m i s b e y o n d o u r c h a r g e .

8 Single-Member Districts

A P R O J E C T F O R T H E G R A N D R A P I D S C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N

SLIDE 9

8 Single-Member Districts (cont'd)

Larger Commission increases the connection between citizens and their representatives. Larger Commission would likely generate more deliberation and accountability on neighborhood issues. Grand Rapids is a growing city and its Commission should reflect that growth without diluting citizen representation. May increase the democratic nature of the City Commission by lowering barriers to entry for ethnic minorities and women as there would be more seats open to competition. Primary Reasons Support the 8-1 Proposal: W a r d s t h i s s m a l l i n c r e a s e t h e r i s k o f e l e c t o r a l “ c a p t u r e ” b y s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t g r o u p s . M u l t i - m e m b e r d i s t r i c t s i n c r e a s e r a c i a l / s o c i o e c o n o m i c a n d v i e w p o i n t d i v e r s i t y o f r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s . A l t e r n a t e r e f o r m s w o u l d b e t t e r a c h i e v e t h e b e n e f i t s o f s m a l l e r w a r d s a n d m o r e c o n n e c t e d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s . M u l t i - m e m b e r d i s t r i c t s e n c o u r a g e c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e t w e e n r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o n i s s u e s i m p a c t i n g s p e c i f i c n e i g h b o r h o o d s a s w e l l a s C i t y - w i d e i s s u e s . T h e r e w i l l b e a f i n a n c i a l c o s t a s s o c i a t e d w i t h a d d i n g t h i s m a n y n e w m e m b e r s t o t h e C i t y C o m m i s s i o n . P r i m a r y R e a s o n s A g a i n s t t h e 8 - 1 P r o p o s a l : A P R O J E C T F O R T H E G R A N D R A P I D S C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N

SLIDE 10

Forced General Election

Voter turnout in primary elections is very low, making primaries less representative of the views

f the general population.

New information could come to light between the primary and general election to otherwise change public opinion on a candidate. Supporters of a primary candidate who didn’t make it into the general would have another

pportunity to exercise their vote.

THE TFER RECOMMENDS ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSAL TO REQUIRE A GENERAL ELECTION. Primary Reasons Supporting TFER Position: I t c o s t s t h e c a n d i d a t e s m o r e t i m e a n d m o n e y f o r t h e e x t e n d e d c a m p a i g n . I t r e q u i r e s a d d i t i o n a l e l e c t i o n a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . V o t e r s m a y b e c o m e f r u s t r a t e d b y r e d u n d a n c y o f m u l t i p l e v o t e s f o r

v e r w h e l m i n g l y p o p u l a r c a n d i d a t e s .

P r i m a r y R e a s o n s A g a i n s t T F E R P o s i t i o n : A P R O J E C T F O R T H E G R A N D R A P I D S C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N

SLIDE 11

Special Elections vs. Appointments

A special election is held if a vacancy occurs more than 1 year prior to the next general election, whereby the candidate should only be elected for the portion of the term left until the next general election, and, An appointment is made when an election is less than a year away, whereby the appointed person must run in the next general election to maintain the position on the commission. THE TFER RECOMMENDS A SYSTEM WHERE: A P R O J E C T F O R T H E G R A N D R A P I D S C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N

SLIDE 12

Special Elections vs Appointments (cont'd)

H i s t o r i c a l l y , s p e c i a l e l e c t i o n s h a v e e x t r e m e l y l o w t u r n o u t s , s i g n i f i c a n t l y d e g r a d i n g t h e d e m o c r a t i c l e g i t i m a c y o f t h e e l e c t i o n i t s e l f . T h e y s h o u l d b e a v o i d e d i f r e a s o n a b l e . S p e c i a l e l e c t i o n s r e q u i r e a d d i t i o n a l f i n a n c i a l c o s t a n d i m p o s e a n a d m i n i s t r a t i v e b u r d e n o n t h e C l e r k ’ s o f f i c e . E x i s t i n g m e m b e r s o f t h e C i t y C o m m i s s i o n h a v e d e m o c r a t i c l e g i t i m a c y a n d c o n v e y l e g i t i m a c y

n t h e i r a p p o i n t m e n t s .

A w a r d w i t h a v a c a n c y w o u l d b e u n d e r r e p r e s e n t e d f o r a l o n g e r p e r i o d o f t i m e t o a c c o m m o d a t e a n e l e c t i o n . P r i m a r y R e a s o n s A g a i n s t T F E R P o s i t i o n : A P R O J E C T F O R T H E G R A N D R A P I D S C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N E l e c t i o n s r e p r e s e n t t h e w i l l o f t h e p e o p l e a n d t h i s i s f u n d a m e n t a l t o d e m o c r a t i c l e g i t i m a c y . A n u p c o m i n g e l e c t i o n i s t h e b e s t w a y t o p r o v i d e d e m o c r a t i c l e g i t i m a c y t o f i l l a v a c a n c y a n d t h e p r o c e s s s h o u l d d e f e r t o h i g h e r t u r n o u t e l e c t i o n s w h e n p o s s i b l e . T h e l o n g e r t h e p e r i o d u n t i l t h e n e x t e l e c t i o n , t h e m o r e n e e d f o r d e m o c r a t i c p r o c e s s e s t o b e s t o w l e g i t i m a c y o n a n e w C i t y C o m m i s s i o n e r . A s h o r t e r a p p o i n t e d t e r m r e d u c e s t h e i n c u m b e n t a d v a n t a g e s h o u l d t h e a p p o i n t e d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e c h o s e t o r u n f o r t h e o f f i c e . P r i m a r y R e a s o n s S u p p o r t i n g T F E R P o s i t i o n :

SLIDE 13

Special Elections vs Appointments (cont'd)

A t r a n s p a r e n t , o p e n a n d i n c l u s i v e p r o c e s s . M a t e r i a l o p p o r t u n i t y f o r r e s i d e n t s t o p r o v i d e f e e d b a c k a n d i n f l u e n c e t h e o u t c o m e . R e s p e c t s h o w n t o p o p u l a r o p i n i o n . W e i g h i n g w h e t h e r a n a p p o i n t e d c a n d i d a t e w o u l d r u n f o r r e - e l e c t i o n a t t h e n e x t

p p o r t u n i t y . I t i s g e n e r a l l y t h e v i e w o f t h e T F E R t h a t t h e C i t y C o m m i s s i o n s h o u l d

p r i o r i t i z e c a n d i d a t e s w h o w i l l o n l y f u l f i l l t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e t e r m a n d n o t r u n f o r r e e l e c t i o n . T h e i n c u m b e n c y a d v a n t a g e s h o u l d b e m i n i m i z e d a s m u c h a s p o s s i b l e w h e n c o n s i d e r i n g a p p o i n t m e n t s . A f o r m a l p r o c e s s f o r e v a l u a t i n g h o w a n a p p o i n t m e n t w i l l r e f l e c t t h e r a c i a l / s o c i o e c o n o m i c / v i e w p o i n t d i v e r s i t y o f t h e w a r d i n q u e s t i o n . W h e n a n a p p o i n t m e n t t o f i l l a v a c a n c y i s w a r r a n t e d , t h e p r o c e s s s h o u l d b e d e f i n e d e x p l i c i t l y i n C i t y p o l i c y , a n d s h o u l d i n c l u d e , a t l e a s t t h e f o l l o w i n g a t t r i b u t e s : A P R O J E C T F O R T H E G R A N D R A P I D S C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N

SLIDE 14

Additional Information:

T h e T F E R r e v i e w e d s e v e r a l o p t i o n s a n d g e n e r a l l y s u p p o r t s a G r a n d R a p i d s C i t y C o m m i s s i o n w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s : f o u r w a r d s w i t h t w o c o m m i s s i o n e r s r e p r e s e n t i n g e a c h w a r d ( a t o t a l o f e i g h t c o m m i s s i o n e r s ) , w a r d e l e c t i o n s a l t e r n a t e d s u c h t h a t t w o w a r d s e l e c t c o m m i s s i o n e r s i n a l t e r n a t i n g e l e c t i o n s , a n d a l l s e a t s i n t h e e a c h w a r d s h o u l d b e e l e c t e d o n t h e s a m e b a l l o t . R a n k e d C h o i c e V o t i n g f o r l o c a l e l e c t i o n s w o u l d e l i m i n a t e t h e n e e d f o r t h e p r i m a r y p r o c e s s . R a n k e d C h o i c e v o t i n g h a s b e e n s h o w n t o r e s u l t i n i n c r e a s e d d i v e r s i t y o f c a n d i d a t e s a n d v i e w p o i n t s r e p r e s e n t e d , w h i l e m a k i n g c a m p a i g n s l e s s c o n t e n t i o u s , a n d r e d u c i n g t h e f e e l i n g o f v o i c e l e s s n e s s a m o n g v o t e r s . T h e l e g a l i t y o f R a n k e d C h o i c e V o t i n g u n d e r M i c h i g a n S t a t e l a w i s c u r r e n t l y d i s p u t e d a n d t h e r e f o r e w e c a n n o t r e c o m m e n d i t . M u l t i - m e m b e r d i s t r i c t s t y p i c a l l y p r o v i d e b e n e f i t s o v e r s i n g l e - m e m b e r d i s t r i c t s , i n c l u d i n g i n c r e a s e d r a c i a l , s o c i o e c o n o m i c , a n d v i e w p o i n t d i v e r s i t y a m o n g e l e c t e d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s . I n m u l t i - m e m b e r d i s t r i c t s , h a v i n g a l l t h e s e a t s i n e a c h d i s t r i c t r u n o n t h e s a m e b a l l o t ( v e r s u s s t a g g e r i n g t h e e l e c t i o n s w i t h i n e a c h d i s t r i c t ) t e n d s t o p r o d u c e m o r e d i v e r s e a n d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o u t c o m e s t h a n s t a g g e r e d e l e c t i o n s f o r s e a t s w i t h i n a d i s t r i c t . A P R O J E C T F O R T H E G R A N D R A P I D S C I T Y C O M M I S S I O N

SLIDE 15 W h i l e w e d o n o t b e l i e v e t h a t t h e s y s t e m i s d r a s t i c a l l y b r o k e n , w e d o b e l i e v e t h a t e l e c t i o n p r o c e s s e s m u s t c o n t i n u e t o b e e v a l u a t e d a n d i m p r o v e d b y t h e C i t y o f G r a n d R a p i d s . T h e r e a r e r e f o r m o p p o r t u n i t i e s b e y o n d t h e s c o p e o f o u r m a n d a t e t h a t w o u l d i m p r o v e t h e d e m o c r a t i c n a t u r e o f o u r e l e c t i o n s a n d s t r e n g t h e n t h e C i t y ’ s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e c i t i z e n s . W e o f t e n f o u n d t h a t t h e G r a n d R a p i d s C i t y C h a r t e r d o e s n o t a d e q u a t e l y a d d r e s s t h e n e e d s o f t h e c o m m u n i t y . F r o m i t s s e x i s t l a n g u a g e t o i t s p o o r l y d e f i n e d e l e c t i o n p r o c e s s e s , w e b e l i e v e t h e C h a r t e r s h o u l d b e r e f o r m e d t o b e t t e r m e e t o u r n e e d s . Conclusion

SLIDE 16 T h e T F E R w o u l d l i k e t o t h a n k , i n p a r t i c u l a r , C i t y o f G r a n d R a p i d s s t a f f w h o h e l p e d g u i d e u s i n t h e p r o c e s s . W e w o u l d a l s o l i k e t o t h a n k a l l t h e p e o p l e w h o s h a r e d t h e i r v i e w s a n d m a d e s u b s t a n t i a l c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s f o r e l e c t o r a l r e f o r m d i s c u s s e d i n t h i s r e p o r t . Thank You

SLIDE 17

SLIDE 18