[Peace-discuss] reduction in size of the Champaign County Board?

Tue Nov 2 12:58:16 CDT 2010

I tend to agree with Robert at this point. Well, actually at the point where
the actual proposal was pointed out to me. I think this is the best of the 3
proposals that were on the table early in the year in that it would be
harder to gerrymander.

I'm still interested in what Carol might say.

-karen medina

On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 12:49 PM, Robert Naiman <naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
> wrote:

>
>
> On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 12:27 PM, Jenifer Cartwright <jencart13 at yahoo.com>wrote:
>
>> I'm still confused -- If more districts are added, can we be sure those
>> won't be gerrymandered to advantage the advantaged?
>
>
> You can't be "sure," but the smaller the districts are, the harder they are
> to gerrymander, so, "all other things being equal," the concern stated
> indicates that one should support smaller districts.
>
>
>> And if there are fewer reps from ea district, it again seems that the
>> advantaged will be advantaged.
>>
>
> Why? In my experience, it's the opposite. In some of the more conservative,
> Republican, rural areas, it's hard to field 3 vigorous progressive
> candidates. Maybe you find one or two progressive people who are willing to
> run. The other side runs as a slate. So, it's one against three or two
> against three; moreover, your people go into the poll, it says "vote for
> three," and some of your people vote for you and one or two of the people
> you're running against, resulting in a net zero vote for you if that happens
> to include the lowest vote-getter of the opposing slate. All of this makes
> it hard for dissident voices to break in with 3 member districts.
>
>
>> On the other hand, 22 vs 27 members would be more efficient when it comes
>> to making decisions and getting things done, all things being equal. But ARE
>> they equal?? Bambi's pro and Carol's anti, if those are still their stands,
>> makes it a no for me.
>>  --Jenifer
>>
>
> I'm not a fan of Bambi, but the claim that he supports this proposal is no
> argument.
>
>
>>
>> --- On *Tue, 11/2/10, Robert Naiman <naiman at justforeignpolicy.org>*wrote:
>>
>>
>> From: Robert Naiman <naiman at justforeignpolicy.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] reduction in size of the Champaign County
>> Board?
>> To: "Karen Medina" <kmedina67 at gmail.com>
>> Cc: "Peace-discuss List" <Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
>> Date: Tuesday, November 2, 2010, 12:08 PM
>>
>>
>> Here is the exact question which appears on the ballot:
>>
>>
>> http://champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/docs/2010/11_02_2010_Full_Specimen.pdf
>>
>> "Size of Champaign County Board
>>
>> Shall the CHAMPAIGN COUNTY BOARD SIZE BE REDUCED from 27 MEMBERS
>> elected from nine multi-member districts with 3 members elected from
>> each district, to 22 MEMBERS elected from eleven multi-member
>> districts with 2 members elected from each district?"
>>
>> So, assuming that what we are voting on is the question that actually
>> appears on the ballot, the argument for not diluting poor and minority
>> representation would appear to support the proposal. If you increase
>> the number of districts, the resulting districts will be smaller, and
>> all other things being equal, poor and minority voters will be less
>> diluted in their representation.
>>
>> I'm not familiar with the recent history that led to this proposal,
>> but I can tell you that based on my experience as a County Board
>> member from 1992-6, I definitely thought that the size of the County
>> Board should be reduced, because my experience was that the size of
>> the Board made it hard to organize other County Board members, with
>> the result that most of the time the Board was a rubber stamp for the
>> staff and the Board Chair.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Nov 2, 2010 at 10:42 AM, Karen Medina <kmedina67 at gmail.com<http://mc/compose?to=kmedina67@gmail.com>>
>> wrote:
>> > Can someone comment on the issue of the reduction in size of the
>> > Champaign County Board?
>> > The following is what I understand of the situation.
>> >
>> >> why would certain groups get no representation?
>> >
>> > Diluted representation. i.e. the poor and minorities would be diluted
>> > by being mixed with rich white people and having fewer seats to fill.
>> > Right now the poor have enough of a say that a representative can get
>> > on the board. With fewer seats to fill, there is an easier chance that
>> > one of the removed chairs would be the voice of the poor.
>> >
>> >> they're moving from 9 districts to 11, right?
>> > Not necessarily. I think there are 3 proposals on the table of how
>> > they would move from 27 to 17 board members.
>> >
>> > The current situation is 9 districts with 3 reps from each.
>> >
>> > In May, 2010, there were 3 proposals:
>> > 17 members, 17 single-member districts
>> > 18 members, from 9 multi-member districts
>> > 22 members, from 11 multi-member districts
>> >
>> > I'm still looking for more information on this.
>> > John Bambanic is for the reduction of county board members.
>> > Carol Ammons is against (I think). and I think Jan Anderson was
>> > against (I think).
>> > But I have not talked to either of these women recently on the issue.
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> > Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net<http://mc/compose?to=Peace-discuss@lists.chambana.net>
>> > http://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace-discuss
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Robert Naiman
>> Policy Director
>> Just Foreign Policy
>> www.justforeignpolicy.org
>> naiman at justforeignpolicy.org<http://mc/compose?to=naiman@justforeignpolicy.org>
>>
>> Urge Congress to Support a Timetable for Military Withdrawal from
>> Afghanistan
>> http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/feingold-mcgovern
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>>
>>
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>>
>
>
> --
> Robert Naiman
> Policy Director
> Just Foreign Policy
> www.justforeignpolicy.org
> naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
>
> Urge Congress to Support a Timetable for Military Withdrawal from
> Afghanistan
> http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/feingold-mcgovern
>
>
>

-- 
karen medina
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
"In this universe, we are given two gifts: the ability to love, and the
ability to ask questions." (Mary Oliver, American poet)
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