Draft Recommendation DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION ONLY
Recommendation from the District Representation Committee
It is recommended by the District Representation Committee that the Charter of the City
of Atlantic Beach be amended to require each commission member to live in the
district/precinct from which he or she runs. It is further recommended that the candidates
be voted on city wide. To implement this proposal existing precinct/district boundaries
should be used insofar as is possible while ensuring that the four areas are approximately
equal in population.
If the City Commission approves this recommendation,the education of the public prior
to the referendum will be critical to the adoption of the proposal.
The Process
The District Representation Study Committee was established by City Resolution 06-14
on 13 November 2006. A committee of fifteen persons representing the various
geographic areas of Atlantic Beach was appointed by the Mayor and by the Commission
members. The Committee met nine times beginning on December 13 and ending on June
28,2007. Sub-committees on Atlantic Beach demography,the literature on the structure
of city councils,and drafting the report also met. In order to gain the information
necessary to make a recommendation, the Committee heard from Atlantic Beach
administrators as well as experts from elsewhere, held three community meetings in
different areas in Atlantic Beach and reviewed census data,the literature relating to city
council elections,and other materials. In excess of 200 total man hours were spent by the
committee in research and discussion. After careful consideration of the alternatives,the
committee reached its recommendation.
Executive Summary
• Residence of Commission Members: City Commission members are currently
elected at-large. Data from several past elections show that commission members
have consistently and over time come from a concentrated section of one part of
the city,near the beach and the"old part"of the city. This has led some citizens to
believe that the elected officials are not fully aware of citizen concerns in all parts
of the city.
• Demographic Differences in the Community: Data compiled by the Northeast
Regional Planning Council reveals that the precincts in Atlantic Beach differ in
racial,economic, age,and income characteristics. Precinct 13S has the greatest
percentage of minorities(25 per cent African American and 20 per cent other—
Asian,Hispanic,and other.)Following in order of increasing diversity are
precincts 13 H, 13F,and 13G.
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• Physical Barriers: An invited speaker and some of the literature on systems of
elections suggest that a district format is appropriate in cities in which a physical
barrier separates parts of the municipality. In Atlantic Beach, Mayport Road is
seen as a significant barrier due to its width, high speeds,and heavy traffic.
• Perceptions of Members of the Community: Some residents of the city,
particularly those from the western part of the city, expressed the perception that
current and past commissioners are not aware of their needs and provide better
facilities or greater resources for projects closer to the part of the city in which the
commissioners live. The quality of landscaping between Jordan Park and Russell
Park was cited as an example.
• Level of Participation: Election data shows that voter turnout is much lower in the
"Western" 13S precinct than in the other three precincts. The turnout is
particularly low for Atlantic Beach elections. This may indicate a feeling of
disenfranchisement by citizens in the western half of the city. Feeling neglected
by the city commission,they may have withdrawn from the election process.
• Sense of community: Resident comments described one of Atlantic Beach's core
strengths as its sense of community. Some felt that this sense of community is
lacking in areas away from the beach and"Old Atlantic Beach." It was suggested
by some that a district commissioner, being more aware and responsive to the
needs of that district's residents,would be better able to instill a sense of
community by connecting the constituents to civic affairs than would be an at-
large elected commissioner.
• Election at large combined with a residence requirement for commission members
was viewed by the committee as providing commission members who would be
more aware of and responsive to needs of their districts,while still maintaining an
awareness of the city-wide needs and avoiding the parochialism that is sometimes
attributed to single member district systems.
Background Information
The information provided to the Committee by the police chief,the parks director, and
the public works director indicated that there was no inequity in the distribution of
services to the different sections of Atlantic Beach but that services are provided on the
basis of need. In discussion it was suggested that those west of Mayport Road may be
less likely to call City Hall regarding problems
The committee did not find discrimination in the distribution of services nor was this a
comment from the public. However,there were comments from those in the western part
of the city that they perceived a difference in concern and treatment as compared to those
thiler residents in the eastern part of the city.
The cost of running for political office in Atlantic Beach has increased in recent years,a
factor which may discourage some from running for office. Total campaign contributions
jumped from $22,195 in the 1999 elections to $154,775 in 2005. (See Appendix with
Campaign Contributions for the last four elections.)
In reviewing demographic data the committee found that there were differences in
income and minority percentage of the population between the western part of the city
and the part east of Mayport Road. (See Appendix on"City of Atlantic Beach:
Population Characteristics by Election District.")
The precinct west of Mayport Road has a much lower percentage of voters
(approximately 10 per cent)voting in Atlantic Beach elections. There is a higher turnout
in this precinct for presidential and gubernatorial elections. (See Appendix "Chart of
Turnout and Election Results—Atlantic Beach Precincts, 1999—2005.")
There are three principal methods used to elect members of city councils and
commissions: by single member district,at-large,or some mix of at-large and district.
There are several hybrid possibilities; for example, some commissioners elected at large
and some by district or an at large election with the requirement the candidates must live
in the district from which they run. Of the three methods of electing council/commission
members,the at-large is the most used in Florida and nationally. According to a Florida
League of Cities survey(2005,400 responses out of 408)at large elections are used by
337(84.3%)cities; single member districts by 43 (10.7%); and a mixed system by 20 (5.0
4600/ %).Nationally the figures for cities under 25,000 are: at-large 2141 (61.3%); district 407
(11.6%); and mixed 948 (27.1%). (1993 Municipal Yearbook).
Historically the district method of election was the usual form of election used in the 19th
Century. In the early 20th Century at-large elections were introduced in many cities as a
part of the Progressive reform movement. The at-large elections were designed to reduce
corruption and the influence of party bosses in city government. The assumption was that
those elected at-large would be more likely to consider the interests of the community as
a whole as opposed to the interests of particular neighborhoods or groups. In the 1970s
and 1980s a return to a district system of electing council members occurred in some
communities driven in part by the issue of the discriminatory impact of at-large elections
and the dilution of minority votes in an at-large system. More recently,the trend appears
to be to the mixed election system. The reasons cited for the increased popularity of the
mixed system are increasing minority representation and influence while combining some
of the advantages of both the district and at-large systems. (MacManus, 1985).
The advantages cited in the literature and by our speakers for district elections include:
• Giving all legitimate groups,especially those with a geographic base, a better
chance of being represented on the council. (National League of Cities and Heilig
and Mundt).
• One set of researchers found that although there were no dramatic shifts in the
overall distribution of goods and services when district elections were adopted,
the new systems of representation did appear to be important factors in decisions
concerning the geographic location of new city facilities. (Heilig and Mundt).
• Council members elected by district are likely to be more sensitive to the small
but frequently important problems people have(i.e., stop signs,trash pick up).
(National League of Cities). One study found that although the effect was modest,
those elected from districts were consistently more service oriented than those
elected at large. (Welch and Bledsoe).
• District elections may reduce voter alienation by bringing city government closer
to the people. (National League of Cities).
• Since it is less expensive to run in a district, a wider range of candidates may be
encouraged to seek office. However,one study found only a marginal increase in
lower status candidacies. (Heilig and Mundt).
The disadvantages attributed to district elections include:
• Councils elected by district may have more conflict. The fact that in district
systems each member represents a distinct geographic unit encourages a kind of
natural opposition of interests that is less distinct in at large systems. (Welch and
Bledsoe).
• Councils elected by district may be less efficient because of district specific
versus a broader constituency perspective. (National League of Cities). Lynn
Tipton,Florida League of Municipalities,cited a study by an Askew senior fellow
that found a real loss of statesmanship after the Florida legislature shifted to
single member districts.
• One 1997 study found district elections encouraged higher spending and
consequently also higher debt and taxes. The assumption was that with district
representation a coalition can be put together to meet the demands to the coalition.
(L. Southwick, Jr.)
• One study found that public employee groups wielded more influence over
municipal decision makers in systems in which the council members are chosen
by district. They found that it was less expensive for groups to affect the outcome
of city elections in a district system. (Mehay and Gonzalez). This same concern
was voiced to the District Representation Committee by one of the speakers.
(who?)
The At-Large System of Election
Advantages:
• Members elected at-large can be more impartial,rise above the limited
perspective of the district and concern themselves with the problems of the entire
community. (National League of Cities). Several studies found that councils
elected at-large were more concerned with the impartial and professional conduct
of city business and with the welfare of the city as a whole. (Banfield and Wilson;
Lineberry and Fowler).
• Vote trading and log rolling are minimized. (National League of Cities).
L • Better qualified individuals are more likely to be elected to the council because
there is a broader base of candidates. (National League of Cities).
Disadvantages
• At-large elections may weaken the representation of particular groups if the
groups do not have a city-wide base of operation or are concentrated in specific
areas. (National League of Cities). One study found that black representation
levels on city councils with at-large elections were strikingly low. (Richard
Walawender).
• Citizens may feel isolated and disconnected from city government without a
geographic basis of representation. (Model City Charter).
A Hybrid or Modified At-Large in which council members are elected at-large, but the
city is divided into districts and a councilman must reside in a particular district.
• This system is designed to ensure that not all commissioners come from one area.
• The system may help ensure an equitable distribution of services among districts.
• The system is designed to increase participation at the polls and at council
meetings by all citizens as compared to the at-large system.
• The system is designed to avoid the conflict and parochialism that might come
with district elections.
The National League of Cities as well as some students of local government structure
point out that there is no one best form of government; it depends on the values and
characteristics of the city.
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