“By-Seat” Voting Method favors incumbents
To add to Mr. O’Halloran’s comments (Letters – Nov. 28) regarding the current At-Large-by-Seat voting method, a Charter Review Committee recommended the City Charter be changed to replace the current At-Large-by-Seat method with At-Large elections. The Committee noted that the At-Large method requires incumbents to run on their record and incumbent candidates are thus always opposed.
The Council, chose, by 5-2 vote, to refer the matter to the next goal-setting conference – occurring in 2013. “The place where good ideas go to die,” one CM observed.
Shouldn’t our officials be truly elected by the voters and not re-elected by virtue of absent opposition? The current At-Large-by-Seat method discourages newcomers running against entrenched, well-funded incumbents and promotes seat “match ups” where a better candidate may get no seat at all. Council Members should not get an 8-year term due to lack of opposition.
