Favored by All-Wards Steering Committees is the 8 ward configuration because it is the option that provides more small wards, rather than fewer large wards. Smaller wards give residents greater opportunity for a personal relationship with their councilor/s, encourage door to door campaigning, and allow NPAs to focus on neighborhood issues and impact of city-wide issues on the grassroots of the city.
The following recommendations were endorsed by wards 4 and 7, by Ward 4 Dems, and All-Wards NPA:
Recommendations on Redistricting from NPAs:
1. Take time to do this right (not on March 2013 ballot) so we have community consensus. Start with NPAs.
2. Follow the logic of neighborhoods as the primary consideration, because this has been consistently requested by residents.
3. More smaller wards rather than fewer larger wards. Councilors have too much committee work now, (fewer would have a heavier work load). Democracy is best served by direct representation.
@nytimes readers make the case for small ratio voter to elected members of legislative bodies. http://t.co/aAJOhgII
@nytimes readers make the case for small ratio voter to elected members of legislative bodies. http://t.co/aAJOhgII
The specific criteria outlined in statute (*see quoted below, with citations) was apparently not used by the committee, but could be. It calls for districts [wards] that are, "insofar as practicable," :
- contiguous and geographically compact, and
- adhere to county and other political subdivision boundaries, except where necessary to comply with other legal requirements.
- [wards] districts should also recognize and maintain
- patterns of geography,
- social interaction,
- trade,
- political ties, and
- common interests.
- Legislative districts may also be drawn as multi-member districts.
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*Criteria http://
