Sunday, October 25, 2009
Editorial: Move Christiansburg council elections
November town council elections would save money and increase participation.
From the RoundTable blog
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Christiansburg voters have two chief reasons to move their town council elections to Novembers of odd-numbered years, and they are very good ones.
The first reason is financial. The town now holds council elections in May of even-numbered years. Because that race usually is the only thing on the ballot, the town pays about $5,000 each time. If the election were held in November, it could piggyback for free on a ballot that already features several other races, most notably for the General Assembly and statewide races. The council race would remain nonpartisan.
Skeptics worry those other races would reduce the attention paid to the council election. On the contrary, Blacksburg, which recently made the same change and holds its first November council election this year, has a highly competitive race that is garnering broad interest. Voters are capable of following a few races at a time, and they tend to pay more attention when there are multiple competitive races going on.
The savings alone should be enough to convince town residents to switch, but if you plan to vote on Nov. 3, there is a second, better reason: You will probably give yourself a voice in who leads Christiansburg.
The hard statistical truth is that three-quarters of the people who will vote next month probably did not vote in May. In a typical May election, about 10 percent of voters turn out. More than four times as many turn out in November.
In our most democratic fantasies, we envision a world in which all eligible voters cast informed votes in every election. That, of course, does not happen. It is every voter's choice whether to show up on Election Day. For many, the press of daily life outweighs the importance of choosing council members in May.
November consolidation would cause participation in council elections to soar. And with more town residents voicing their preferences, council would better represent the people. Entrenched, special interests and politically active civic groups benefit when few people vote. Under those circumstances, they have a better chance to shape election outcomes to their liking.
Most of the current council is content with that system. Indeed, they refused to discuss seriously the November switch when it came up. Instead, the question appears on the ballot because citizens care about the quality of their town government. They gathered signatures on a petition to force the issue.
Voters should finish the job on Nov. 3 by voting yes on the referendum.
