Board mulls alternate representation models

Recent concerns about fair representation in the county has led the Orange County Board of Commissioners to rethink the process by which they are elected.

Commissioners are looking at several models that would require that they be elected by district rather than the current at-large method.

Chairman Moses Carey Jr. prepared handouts on three district models. They were available at the first of two scheduled public hearings Wednesday.

Option one would create a five- member board with each member elected from a different district.

The second option would implement a seven-member board with two at-large members and five members elected by district, and option three would create two districts in the county — one with two members and the other with three.

Those residents who spoke all agreed a change is in order, but consensus on the appropriate change was not as clear.

“I call on you to be brave and to create a system with the widest possible pool of candidates,” Will Raymond, a candidate for the Chapel Hill Town Council election this fall, told the commissioners.

“Purely on the issue of fairness, I think you must make some changes,” Jean Earnhardt said. “How those changes are made, I leave to you and the experts.

The commissioners also said they are still exploring the options.

Vice Chairman Barry Jacobs said Friday that he still was unsure which method would be best. “I’m still keeping my ears open.”

Jacobs offered a few suggestions of his own, such as creating a district entirely for the University, which he thought might encourage younger residents to get involved.

And he said the commissioners have logistical issues to work out, regardless of model.

“Whatever option we consider has to be put on a map so the principle of ‘one person, one vote’ is still respected,” he said.

Commissioners have not laid out district lines yet because they want to first choose a model.

Rep. Bill Faison, D-Orange, said Friday that residents need to see these lines before they can give feedback on the best model.

“You have to know where the lines are going to be,” he said, adding that without them, the plans are vague.

In March, Faison introduced a bill that would have put a referendum on the ballot to let residents vote on whether they wanted districts, an issue he thought the commissioners were ignoring. The bill did not make it out of committee.

Despite his concerns, Faison conceded that the commissioners have made progress. “Certainly the commissioners have made a step in the right direction,” he said.

The next hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the F. Gordon Battle Courtroom.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.