Single-member districts encourage debate

OPINION

BY LEN CABRERA

In the October 11th Alachua County Commission meeting, Commissioner Ken Cornell once again got to demonstrate that we don’t live under hypocrisy, but hierarchy. He campaigned against the single-member district ballot initiative from the dais, in the middle of County business. That action would be illegal for any County employee according to Florida Statute 104.31, which essentially prohibits campaigning while on duty. Cornell, however, can do this because the statute conveniently excludes elected officials from section (1)(a):

“(1) No officer or employee of the state, or of any county or municipality thereof… shall: (a) Use his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or… influencing another person’s vote or affecting the result thereof.”

While Cornell has the freedom as an elected official to speak his mind, his judgment in doing it in a County Commission meeting is questionable because it leads to a public impression that the County is taking sides on the referendum. Worse, Cornell’s comments were untrue. I’d say they were a blatant lie, but he’d have to know the statements were not true, and he may actually believe the falsehoods coming out of his mouth. Cornell said, “Right now you have five of us that you can call. If this is passed, if you vote yes, then only one of us will represent you.” (Search the transcript for “campaign trail” to get to the start of Cornell’s comments.)

Cornell implied that Alachua County residents will not be able to talk to commissioners from other districts if the referendum passes.

Commissioner Raemi Eagle-Glenn immediately corrected Cornell’s statement: “I don’t see anything written anywhere regarding this ballot initiative that if I’m representing District 1, that somebody in District 5 can’t call me or set up a meeting to talk to me at the County Commission office.”

This is true for all elected officials who represent single-member districts, including state representatives, state senators, U.S. representatives, U.S. senators, etc. You can always contact senators and representatives from other districts, either to show support and encouragement when they agree with you or to argue against them when they disagree. In Alachua County, for example, it’s common for Democrats to ask Rep. Yvonne Hinson to champion desired legislation, while Republicans usually turn to Rep. Chuck Clemons, regardless of where they live. Similarly, if the referendum passes, residents of Alachua County will be able to go to any County Commissioner they believe would be sympathetic to their requests, just as they do now.

In December of last year, I wrote a thorough column discussing the concept of single-member districts. I reviewed the Florida statutes and State Constitution, the history of the County’s bogus Charter Review Commission, and the views of James Madison, the author of the U.S. Constitution.

From that column: “The point of representative government is to have multiple voices representing multiple views and interests.” Clearly, all the talk from Progressives about equity and diversity only applies when it helps those in power to retain or enhance their power. They have no desire to increase the diversity of opinion on the commission.

Also from that column: “Having all five commissioners elected at-large places the veneer of representative government on the iron-fisted rule of the majority.” This is not a partisan issue. Dan Richman’s letter to the editor made the same case last week from a Progressive viewpoint.

Although he may not know this, Commissioner Cornell would never have been elected to represent District 4 in 2014 if Alachua County had single-member districts at the time–or maybe he does know this, and that’s why he is actively campaigning against the referendum. He won his 2014 Democratic primary against Kevin Thorpe by 638 votes, 52% to 48%. However, if only votes from District 4 were counted, Cornell would have lost, 38% to 62% (1,091 votes). (If you want to reproduce these numbers, you have to use the 2012 district map and 2014 primary election results. I used all precincts included in District 4, even those that split with other districts. Using only precincts that are exclusively in District 4 changes the result slightly: 35% to 65% (991 votes), but Cornell would still have lost decisively. The way the election results are posted, there is no way to break out votes by county districts.)

That’s some sweet irony because last year Cornell got Commissioner Chuck Chestnut to make a racial case for at-large voting. According to the 2014 election results, the current system of at-large voting resulted in Cornell’s defeat of a black candidate who was heavily favored in his district.

As I wrote last year: “Cornell, Chestnut, and the rest of the ruling majority of Alachua County recognize that single-member districts will take power away from them, so they must fight it at all costs.”

Note that none of my arguments for single-member districts, in the original column or in this one, are partisan in any way. I’m not talking about political party representation. I’m not even arguing that single-member districts will change any of the actions of the County Commission. The point is to have commissioners represent their actual districts, not the county as a whole. It will change the way they campaign and the way they vote on the commission. We need five commissioners elected by five different electorates, not five commissioners elected by the same electorate. Single-member districts should also apply to school board members, but the 2022 ballot initiative only applies to the county commission.

Note also that my arguments are not against Ken Cornell personally but against what he has publicly stated as a County Commissioner. I’m not saying that he should not be allowed to voice his opinion on single-member districts (although he shouldn’t in his official capacity during a Commission meeting). I’m not saying that he should be canceled or not allowed to run for office.

Cornell is advertising his campaign on Alachua Chronicle. That is a paid advertisement, not an endorsement, and despite what some people write in the comment section, our advertisers do not buy our opinions or tell us what news to report. In fact, people who oppose Cornell criticized us for accepting the ad. We created Alachua Chronicle to “keep the public informed and provide the transparency that keeps governments accountable” because “governments do not control themselves without well-informed, active citizens.”

People can coexist even when they disagree, as long as there is reasonable debate. Single-member districts will increase the likelihood of electing commissioners with different viewpoints and will force those commissioners to engage in debate rather than echo each other’s thoughts before taking unanimous votes.