Boyer: The importance of Single-Member Districts to the Voting Rights Act

Letter to the editor

Single Member District (SMD) representation is in concordance with the Voting Rights Act and is why the National NAACP endorses SMD. The Biden administration DOJ has filed a lawsuit against Houston County, Georgia, stating that the “at-large method of electing county commissioners results in Black citizens having less opportunity than other members of the electorate to participate in the political process and to elect candidates of choice, in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.”  

Currently we have a Board of County Commissioners here in Alachua County that stands to directly violate the Voting Rights Act by pursuing the restoration of At-Large voting. This effort to violate the Voting Rights Act is championed by Commissioner Ken Cornell, who stands a good chance of losing his seat if SMD continues.

I, and others, have been working for a couple decades (personally I have 14 years invested in SMDs) to educate our electorate to the benefits of SMDs and to finally have the opportunity for our electorate to vote on the issue. Ken Cornell and the other Democrat power mongers feel like our electorate isn’t smart enough to understand what they voted for in 2022, when voters finally had the opportunity to make the change from at-large to single-member districts.

I find it insulting that the voting public is thought of as too illiterate to understand that ballot measure. I would state that perhaps it is Ken Cornell and others who are illiterate since the County Commission’s ballot measure to go back to At-Large voting since the ballot measure failed to use the language specified in state statutes.

I look at it this way: if At-Large voting is against the Voting Rights Act in Houston County, Georgia, then At-Large voting is surely against the Voting Rights Act in Alachua County, Florida. We believe that every vote matters and that the vote of a majority within a district should not be negated by the will of others voting from outside of that district when it comes to electing a representative.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-files-voting-rights-suit-against-houston-county-georgia

Walt Boyer, Newberry

The opinions expressed by letter or opinion writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AlachuaChronicle.com. Assertions of facts in letters are similarly the responsibility of the author. Letters may be submitted to info@alachuachronicle.com and are published at the discretion of the editor.

  • If it is against the law in Alachua County then it is against the law in every single county in the state of Florida since that is what the Statutes call for.

    • A judge found the ballot language unlawful in the effort to change back to at-large districts. No other county has attempted to use that ballot language.

      Nobody is saying that either SMD or at-large is unlawful.

    • Sam, is against the law for a commissioner to run and get elected out of her district. Take an ill gotten salary for a year. Get removed from office by the Governor of the State of Florida, and not pay taxpayers back for the illegitimate payments? And the ACC stand by and let the taxpayers get screwed?

    • I would agree that every county adopt SMD’s and break the stranglehold of one party rule (regardless of the R or D). It is the right thing to do.

    • You underlings in which I rule over (I can only say “rule over” if I have my platform shoes on), anyway, we all know as Mayor back-Wards minion, I can’t win a primary in a single member district. Therefore, I must decree that we must stay with the at large voting system. Yes, I agree but I don’t care that the at large system allows me to use votes from the opposite side of town to overrun the desire and needs of the voter on the Southeast side of town. I am not here for the people. I am here for the person and that person is me!!!!!

  • From the NAACP website: “WHEREAS, if voting were a fundamental right, any law, including electoral schemes like at-large districts would be subject to strict scrutiny and therefore would need to fulfill a compelling state interest through narrowly tailored means. It would be difficult to argue that at-large districts serve a compelling state interest when single member districts allow minority groups a greater chance to choose a candidate of their choice, particularly because the creation of majority-minority districts can be required under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. “

  • Gainesville Dems showed their true colors. Like all the rest, when push comes to shove it’s really about SELF-INTEREST under the cloak of “social justice.”
    ACLUSPLCDNC 👹🤡👺💩👿

  • Wrong again. The Federal Voting Rights Act is to address issues of Protected Minorities being negatively affected by voting laws.

    Racial minorities are a Protected Class under the VRA.
    The Republican Party is NOT a protected class under the VRA.

    Walt and his buds Tim and Stafford keep bringing up the Race Card on this issue to try to imply SMD will benefit blacks. Wrong.

    We all know that this is because the Alachua County Republicans are Perpetually BUTT HURT that the liberal Democrat Majority of Alachua County will not vote a MAGA Republican to the County Commission. The REC must buy Preparation H by the caseload at Costco.

    Using the VRA to justify any kind of change in Alachua County is not appropriate. Alachua County is roughly 20% black. If there is one black BOCC member, the county black population is perfectly proportionally represented on the local body.

    Under at large district voting, there has been at least one black commissioner CONTINUOUSLY on the BOCC since 1978. Often more than one! There is NO lack of minority access to being elected under at large districts. If there was, someone could file a federal lawsuit under the VRA. But they CANNOT. One or more black commissioners continuously since 1978 is such an inconvenient fact for you Republican operatives. Tough.

    Walt, quit pulling up the Bee Ess Race Card of the Voting Rights Act to justify your attempt at Republican power grabbing. It is not applicable.

    And the Chronicle needs to do better. This is not a letter to the editor from a typical citizen. Walt Boyer is an elected official in Alachua County. He is the current chair of the Alachua Soil and Water Conservation District and should be identified as such in the bio under this letter, if for no other reason to inform readers that a Republican friend of the pro massive sprawl Newberry real estate “pave over the farmland with subdivisions for quick buck real estate sales” cartel is an uber hypocrite claiming to want to “conserve soil.” The SWCD is a little known elected public office, and recently Republican operatives have been running and getting elected cuz it is such low hanging fruit. Worming their way into County Power any way they can.

    • I did nothing more than recite what the Biden DOJ is sueing Houston County Georgia for and Rick posted the NAACP’s position on At_Large voting and the reasons that organization is against it. You are an idiot to believe this has anything to do with power grabbing. This last election cycle proves that Republicans are not suddenly going to be the majority on the BoCC, yet that seems to be what you are afraid of. Plus I am not an elected Alachua County official. ASWCD is a State office so there is no “worming” into anything. Also, I authored this as a citizen of Alachua County, so therefore listing ASWCD position is unnecessary. You sure do seem butt hurt that anyone could openly have the position to stand against At-Large voting.

      And for the record, I openly oppose the growth in the western part of our county by both the County and the City of Newberry. Have a blessed day

    • And of course you wont address the fact that our BoCC’s feel like the electorate is too ignorant to understand what they voted on in 2022. But I guess that is simply due to your feeling of self righteous elitism.

    • Attention Mr. Dummy. Blacks love smds when it’s the only way they can get elected.

  • I lived in Miami-Dade County when the NAACP filed suit against at-large districts there. Before the court ruled that at-large districts were discriminatory and unconstitutional, Miami-Dade County residents were represented by a completely Democrat and white board of county commissioners. Blacks and Hispanics were practically non-existent. Since that time, the Board of County Commissioners of Miami-Dade County is majority Hispanic and Republican. There are many Black and white members – mostly Democrats. But there is no arguing that a change from at-large to single-member districts had an enormous impact on democratizing the county. I think a similar change is in order for Alachua County.

  • Boyer’s argument ostensibly claims SMD voting is preferable to avoid disenfranchising Black voters. But in Alachua Co. where the Black population is distributed throughout all nine municipalities, and the unincorporated areas, SMD actually disenfranchises them and every other voter.

    Note that in each of those cities, SMD is how they vote for their local commissioners and every one of them have Black elected officials.

    Also, under SMD you have only once chance every 4 years to vote for one county commissioner. If your preferred candidate loses, your voice/values has zero representation on the BOCC.

    Further, if ALD prevents Black candidates from getting elected here, then perhaps Boyer can explain that to the following county-wide electeds who are Black: Sheriff; Property Appraiser; Superv. of Elections; and a district Judge.

    Finally, the real motivation behind Boyer and the local GOP’s push for SMD was revealed in court where Sen. Perry testified under oath. The judge asked Sen. Perry why he thought SMD was preferable to ALD, Perry replied, “(because) at-large districts make it near impossible for Republican candidates to win and hold a seat in Alachua County.” (source:https://www.wcjb.com/2024/10/01/lawsuit-against-alachua-county-commissioners-moves-forward/)

    So there you have it. Their push for SMD is not about the VRA or racial representation. Its about crass political manipulations.

    • Thank you Sen. Perry for admitting the truth, that Republican Operatives like Walt and Stafford will do anything, including telling the Big Lie and pulling the race card about SMDs, to gain what the Rethuglicans want: POWER. They consider it their god given right to dominate the majority with their evil unwanted minority views.

    • Easy to see you’ve chosen to pledge fealty once again in 2025.

      In most communities in these United States the Black population is distributed. It’s the percentage of distribution that becomes the issue. Maybe living in your bubble hasn’t allowed you to see that? Check the real numbers and see what the percentages of free and reduced lunches are in the Eastern school zones. Get back with us once you’ve used some common sense and logical thinking instead of regurgitating what your rulers have fed you.

      You may want look in the mirror to see who’s being manipulated.

    • So what is your opinion of the Biden DOJ suing Houston County Georgia for having At-Large voting? You sure are quick to attack me as being some “power hungry republican” yet you will not recognize the truth around you. you will not recognize the position of the NAACP, you fear that you Alachua County Dem elitists will suddenly lose power if SMDs remain the law in Alachua County when all it does is assure the voices within each district are actually represented by the person from within the district chosen by those residing in that district and not what the other 4 districts choose for the one. Don’t pretend to know what motivates me when it is obvious to all that it is power that motivates you and your ilk.

      • This is why your public office is relevant and needs to be included in the editorial footnote. Folks need to know you are an elected official who has typical Republican contempt for “you and your ilk” of the all people you are supposed to serve. Some of us spot Rethuglican hypocrites when we see them.

        • I’d wager it’s much easier to spot the liberal hypocrites but you’re probably aware of that if you look in the mirror each morning.

    • Dearest Susan, these positions have nothing to do with district voting: Sheriff; Property Appraiser; Superv. of Elections; and a district Judge. But leave it to you to add something completely irrelevant to a topic about SMD’s

      • Tired of your lies yet? In quoting the Voting Rights Act you pull the race card and claim minorities cannot get elected in county wide elections. Yet you just listed a bunch of minorities who got elected in county wide Alachua County elections, proving yourself wrong. SMDs, or lack of them, are not the issue.

        At least one minority has been on the county commission continuously since 1978. There is no racial reason to change to SMDS.

        Your Rethuglican power grab is just sickening. Alachua County libs DO NOT want the policies of the Rethuglicans you put up for office. If you and Stafford and Little Timmy can put up a middle of the road Republican, they have a chance of getting elected. But you only put up Party Loyalists with their lips firmly planted on the backside of Desantis and Trump and the moldy corpse of Brother John Birch. (In Alachua County, hatred for 1950’s Soviet Communism is SURPRISE not a high priority to anyone except you all.)

        Alachua County voters will NOT vote for the creations you put up for office. You could not even find a single member of your Party to run against Chestnut in 2024 in a SMD election, the best chance of getting one of your Party elected in years. Thankfully you are too clueless to notice this.

        • Dearest “Truth”….. here is the truth, I posted about how the BIDEN DOJ is suing Houston County Georgia for ALD voting. The DOJ lawsuit states that ALD voting violates the Voting Rights Act. The NAACP does not support ALD voting. I simply stated that if ALD voting violates the VRA in Houston County, then it obviously must violate the VRA everywhere else it is used. Otherwise what they are doing in Houston County Ga is simply a power grab and reflects poorly on the Democrat party. And as far as SMDs in Alachua County go, it is about securing the will of those within each separate district to put forth the representative that district alone choses. It really has no bearing on the persons race. So knowing you are someone that embraces that 1950’s style Soviet communism and willingly support the spread of it thru our schools and colleges, I recognize your reluctance to SMDs. You shun direct accountability, and favor power at the expense of representation. You fear that with SMDs you elitists will lose your stranglehold on power. I would argue that with SMDs, Democrats would still hold the majority but there may be one or two minority party members elected so real debate can take place instead of a single party vote with no concern for the minority party voice. You show your elitism and disdain for the minority party voice when you tell Republicans to ignore their conservative values and put forth a “moderate” candidate, when you have no need to put forth a moderate democrat candidate. Oh and here is another truth, We still have another SMD cycle to get thru. And until the issue is put back on the ballot with legal language, we will know that with SMDs there is no fear of violating the VRA according to the DOJ and the NAACP.

  • We are a university community, but we are also a Southern backwater town with a lot of weird, oddball characters that you wouldn’t find in a real city. Carny Cornell is at the top of the list. He’s a total embarrassment to himself and the Commission. The people already voted. That should be the end of it.

    • “we are also a Southern backwater town with a lot of weird, oddball characters that you wouldn’t find in a real city”

      Thank you Mr. Peabody for writing the best description I have ever seen describing the city of Newberry and the Newberritards who consider a “Springs County” to be a good idea.

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