Email sent to CRC - FW Circulate to CRC members before meeting - M. Hoffmann 2-23-24Good Afternoon,
Below is an email from Mr. Hoffmann and the referenced attachment for
your review.
Thank you,
Donna L. Bartle
City Clerk
City of Atlantic Beach
800 Seminole Road
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
(904) 247-5809
From: michaelhoffmann@comcast.net [mailto:michaelhoffmann@comcast.net]
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2024 11:15 AM
To: Bartle, Donna <dbartle@coab.us>
Subject: Circulate to CRC members before meeting
Mrs. Bartle -- I will bring by your office shortly the three documents
referenced below.
Thanks,
MH
Re: For circulation to charter review committee before its February 28,
2024 CRC meeting
I have spoken before about how gerrymandering -- via at-large elections
-- dilutes the votes of citizens on the west side of Atlantic Beach. I
have given examples of important negative events impacting the west side
of AB, which I believe occurred due a lack of representation on the
Commission. There are other negative examples of Commission actions that
I could recount.
The addition in 2008 of a residency requirement ameliorates vote
dilution but doesn't eliminate it. The AB electoral system continues to
be one of indirect representation.
I urge this CRC to recommend a separate ballot item in Nov. 2024 on the
question of direct, district elections vs. at-large elections with
residency requirements. (Attached is a similar ballot item from 2015
that failed.)
There is in AB's electoral system a second example of gerrymandering
that I believe the charter review committee should address, and that is,
Who draws the district voting lines? This question has been raised twice
and I don't believe it was answered.
I have argued at previous charter review meetings in 2008 and 2015 that
the entire area of Marsh Oaks ought to constitute one precinct -- plus
or minus the number of voters to maintain nearly equal populations in
all precincts. Instead, in both of those years voting lines were drawn
that cut across Mayport Rd. This, to me, is a second means by which
voters on the west side of town have their vote diluted.
Attached are the 2008 version and the present electoral maps drawn
without input from the public. Who drew the lines? I assume the
Commission approved the map changes.
I urge the review committee to create a transparent process for drawing
future precinct voting lines and to embed the process in the charter.
michaelhoffmann@comcast.net <mailto:michaelhoffmann@comcast.net>