The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
Local View: City shouldn’t rush into district elections
By Ann Donnelly
Published: July 7, 2019, 6:01am
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Do Vancouver voters need to change the way they elect their city council to narrow the field of possible candidates? Put that way, many would say no. But if greater geographic or ethnic diversity could be achieved on the council, many would say yes. Where does the truth lie? The city council must decide if a proposed change is better than the current system.
District elections for Vancouver City Council were studied in 1996 and 2009. In 2019, the change emerged as the top priority of the 2019 Vancouver Charter Review Committee. The objectives are to enforce more representation for areas of Vancouver that advocates contend are underrepresented, and to bring more racial and economic diversity onto the council.
But one consequence would be a much smaller field of candidates from which to draw for each seat. And from the candidates’ viewpoint, a newcomer would have just two choices of seats, not six, on which to set his or her sights.
Currently, all Vancouver voters vote for all six council members and mayor (at-large). Under the proposed charter amendment, discussed at a June 24 council meeting, only the mayor would be elected at-large. Voters in each of three new districts, to be drawn by an appointed committee, would elect two council members in primary elections. All Vancouver voters would make final choices in general elections.
On Jan. 24, advocates of the change sharply criticized the city council for not rushing their recommendation onto this November’s ballot, thus bypassing outreach to citizens, deemed unnecessary by advocates.
The council was justified in taking the time to assure the change will accomplish its aims, thus justifying the modest administrative costs of the new system.
The new system will consume some city staff time to set up and monitor the districts, which must retain approximately equal population over time. Population changes, annexation, and census counts would trigger ongoing scrutiny of the district boundaries. A districting commission would be appointed and members (two from each district) would likely contest revisions on behalf of their constituencies and districts.
Reasonable degree
The current system has produced a reasonable degree of geographic diversity. Over a 10-year period, council members have been elected from west and east Vancouver. Central Vancouver — between I-205 and approximately Grand Boulevard — has been underrepresented, but more geographic diversity is reflected by this year’s candidates.
As for economic diversity, there is no evidence that elected council members or candidates have predominantly been from rich neighborhoods. Anecdotal evidence to the contrary is abundant, including among the current members.
Which brings us to ethnic diversity. There is no assurance that district voting will increase diversity better than the current system. In fact, a qualified and persuasive candidate of an underrepresented ethnicity might be blocked from running successfully under the geographically restrictive district system.
Ethnic diversity and candidate quality in general will increase with strategic recruitment and by leaving all six seats to be elected at-large. This year’s crop of candidates includes several for Positions 5 and 6 who would add ethnic diversity. Advocates could also have recruited minority candidates in the races for Positions 2 and 4.
Without undue haste, the council must decide what the main objective is and how best to achieve it.
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