Exh 3AAGENDA ITEM #3A
JULY 09, 2001
July 2; 2001
CITY OFATLANTIC BEACH
800 SEMINOLE ROAD
ATLANTIC BEACH, FLORIDA 32233-5445
TELEPHONE: (904)247-5800
FAX: (904) 247-5805
SUNCOM: 852-5800
http://ci. atlantic-beach.fl. us
To: The Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners
From: Maureen King, City Clerk~~
Subject: Election Data
I have been asked to provide some election data and submit the following for your information
and consideration:
Prior to annexation of the North Atlantic Beach area in January 1987 the City had two precincts
- 03F and 03H. Following annexation, in the municipal election in 1987 a third precinct, 03G at
Community Presbyterian Church, was added.
Prior to the Section H infrastructure improvement project in 1990, the azea west of Mayport
Road was sparsely populated and those residents voted in Precinct 03F. Precinct 03S at
Oceanside Church of Christ, 1025 Snug Hazbor, was added in 1995.
The following is an overview of city elections from 1987 to the present.
YEAR SEAT
# CANDIDATE/
RESIDENCE 03F 03G 03H 035 TOTAL
VOTE REGLSTERED
VOTERS
VOTED
1987 2 COOK - 03G
2 VAN NESS
1 UNCONTESTED
3 UNCONTESTED
268 49 328 645 4,463 14%
1989 1 GULLIFORD - 03F
1 HARRIS
4 KREDELL
4 TUCKER-03G
5 BROOKS
5 EDWARDS- 03H
647 232 796 1,675 5,312 32%
1991 1 UNCONTESTED
2 COOK - 03G
2 FLETCHER - 03F
AGENDA ITEM #3A
JULY 09, 2001
3 MARTIN - 03H
3 WATERS-03G
* * * 1,340 5,391 25%
1993 1 FLETCHER-03F
1 GRAY - 03H
I STEINEM - 03F
2** WEISS-03F
2** WOODS-03F
4 REED - 03G
4 SHAUGHNESSY-
03G
5 EDWARDS - 03H
5 MITCHELSON-03G
S ROSENBLOOM-03G
* * * 2,549 6,310 40%
1995 1 FLETCHER-03F
1 WEISS - 03F
2 KERBER - 03F
2 MESERVE-03G
3 REED - 03G
3 WATERS-03G
740 598 1022 2,360 7,485 32%
1997 1 ROSENBLOOM-03G
1 SHAUGHNESSY -
03G
4 KERBER - 03F
4 MITCHELSON-03G
5 BEAVER-03H
5 KUTI - 03H
585 898 792 149 2,424 8,533 28%
1999 1 MESERVE-03G I
1 SHAUGHNESSY-
03G
2 UNCONTESTED
3 UNCONTESTED
617 1,032 1,015 207 2,871 8,940 32%
* 1991 and1993 breakdown by precinct not available
** Lyman Fletcher, who occupied Seat 2, resigned to run for Mayor so Seat 2 was up for election
for atwo-yeaz period.
Other thoughts for your consideration:
The referendum as provided for in Ordinance No. 33-01-8, if approved, would become effective
with the municipal election in 2003 and provides that Seats 2 and 3 on the City Commission,
which aze both up for reelection in 2003, would represent specific districts. Since no at-large
seats would be up for election in 2003, this would mean that voters could vote for only one
AGENDA ITEM #3A
JULY 09, 2001
commissioner (plus the Mayor) instead of the usual two commissioners in this election. Would
this have a negative impact on voter turnout?
In the election of 2005 voters would again be able to vote for two at-lazge commissioners and the
Mayor.
In the event the city went to four districts, only two districts would be represented in each
election and voters in the other two districts would not be able to vote for a commissioner during
those elections. Under this system, voters would only be able to vote for one commissioner
every four yeazs. Would voters go to the polls if they could only vote for the Mayor and not for
the corrmiissioner candidates who were on the ballot?
Over the yeazs when candidates who lived anywhere in the city could run for any seat on the city
commission, you can see from the above data thaNhere have been very few elections where we
had more than two candidates n,nning for a commission seat. In fact, there have been several
instances where candidates ran unopposed. By establishing residency requirements within
specific districts, can we expect to see more instances of candidates being unopposed, thereby
denying the citizens the right to vote for the candidate of their choice?
The following information is submitted in response to a question regarding changes in the
commission structure over the years:
1929 Charter -Mayor and four Town Council members all have 2-yeaz terms
1957 Charter -Mayor and four City Commissioners all have 2-year terms
1969 Charter -City Commission terms of office changed to four yeazs; Mayor's term
remained at two yeazs
1993 Charter - Terms of office remained unchanged