3 Comments

I agree that multi-member districts filled via proportional representation is the best approach for city government. It reduces - or eliminates - the gerrymander incentive. It results in a significant group of residents gaining representation. I also think that city elections should be nonpartisan. I disagree that more than half of city council members should be elected during the high turnout presidential election years. Staggering the terms of council members facilitates continuity of long range plans. I have not determined my preferred method of proportional representation. The ability to audit election results should be a factor for selecting a preferred method.

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> Staggering the terms of council members facilitates continuity of long range plans.

The counter to this is that it would be unheard of for a good number of incumbents not to be re-elected. And if that did happen, presumably it would be because they were really pretty bad.

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My take on Richie is that he is a deeply dishonest political animal.

https://www.rangevoting.org/RichieOnApproval

That said, multi-winner PR voting methods are a legitimately thorny issue. The Portland Charter Review Commission's voting methods subcommittee just endorsed STAR voting over IRV/RCV 3-1, so given that may be the direction things head in the state's largest city, here's a solid proposal for a PR form of score/STAR voting.

https://clayshentrup.medium.com/sequential-reweighted-monroe-score-voting-a410d1d2727a

Another (very different) voting method based on asset voting is here.

https://medium.com/election-science/candidate-transferable-voting-4fa1ee608251

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