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To the editor:
On behalf of the League of Women Voters of the Piedmont Triad, I want to draw attention to a recent vote in the General Assembly that did not impact Alamance County directly but addressed an important issue that we think is of the utmost importance.
The legislature passed House Bill 99 by a unanimous vote, including support from all the three elected officials representing Alamance County, Sen. Amy Galey, Rep. Stephen Ross, and Rep. Dennis Riddell. That bill changes the voting system for electing county commissioners in Wake County from an at-large system, in which all county residents vote for all seven commissioner seats, to a district system, in which residents vote for the candidates in their designated districts and for two at-large seats.
The League of Women Voters of North Carolina has done extensive research into how voting district maps are drawn across the state and came to the conclusion that district systems encourage participation in the electoral process and give minority populations a reasonable chance of electing people who represent their interests. At-large systems generally do the opposite, making it difficult for non-majority groups to fully participate in decision-making.
It is encouraging to see the officials who represent Alamance County favor a district system for Wake County. But Alamance County still has an at-large system that disenfranchises minority groups. It is important to note that those who are hurt by at-large systems are not just people of color but any group that is not in the majority, including poor people and members of religious, cultural and political groups. Also harmed are people who live in towns or communities such as Mebane, Graham, Haw River, Ossipee, Green Level, Elon and Saxapahaw. We call on Galey, Ross and Riddell to advocate for the same improvement in Alamance County voting districts that they supported in Wake County.
The League of Women Voters is best known for the services it provides to voters, including trustworthy information about the electoral process and assistance in getting properly registered to vote, and hosting candidate debates. While the League never endorses any party or candidate, it does take positions on various issues after careful study and debate.
Gary Kenton, member
Board of Directors
League of Women Voters of the Piedmont Triad
