HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 06-22-1998 - 9eORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
Item No 9 - e,
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: June 22, 1998
SUBJECT: ELECTION OF ORANGE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN DISTRICT ELECTIONS
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DEPARTMENT County Commissioners
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PUBLIC HEARING YES NO X
ATTACHMENT(S):
YES
BUDGET AMENDMENT: _YES X NO
INFORMATION CONTACT
Moses Carey, Jr.
TELEPHONE NUMBER
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Mebane 227-2031
Durham 688-7331
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PURPOSE: To consider the future election of Orange County Commissioners
in Residential District Elections.
BACKGROUND: The members of the Orange County Board of Commissioners are
currently elected At-Large in partisan primary and general elections.
Upon election they serve in staggered four-year terms with terms ending
every two years. A Task force created by the Commissioners in 1993 to
study the process of electing commissioners concluded that a change was
needed to improve the perception of representation among rural citizens.
In 1996, the Board of Commissioners adopted a plan in principle to change
the way Commissioners are elected but failed to follow through with
implementation. More recently, the Shaping Orange County Future Task
Force reported the improvement of geographical representation in Orange
County policy making as one of its preliminary goals.
Orange County is growing rapidly. As this growth occurs some groups
within the county feel isolated and disenfranchised in the policy making
process. Election of Commissioners from residential districts and
possibly increasing the number of commissioners could effectively address
the concerns of many citizens as the county continues to grow.
RECOMMENDATION: The Board of Commissioners adopt the
District Election Plan for the election of Commissio:
County Attorney and County Manager to develop a plan
of this plan as soon as possible. The implementation
consistent with all state and federal laws governing
process and include a public hearing in Northern and
County at the draft stage of the plan.
attached Residential
Hers and instruct the
for implementation
plan must be
the electoral
Southern Orange
2
PLAN FOR ELECTION OF ORANGE COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS BY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS
1. Five Orange County Commissioners will be elected from
residential districts and two will be elected At-Large. Five will
be required to live in designated districts while two may reside
anywhere in the county.
2. The number of Commissioners will be increased from Five to
Seven.
3. The current two year staggered election of Commissioners will
be maintained with two District seats and one At-Large seat
open for election in Presidential election years and three District
seats and one At-Large seat open for election in non-
Presidential election years.
4. All seats will be elected by a countywide vote in the primary
and general elections of the year in which elections are held.
The partisan nature of the elections will be maintained.
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