FairVote - Granville County

Granville County

Activists within Granville County have already tried to implement limited voting for County Board of Commissioner elections. The County as a whole is 34.8% African American and has only one African American commissioner. Until 1987 commissioners were elected at large from the county as a whole, with the result that the minority vote was diluted and African Americans were unable to get elected. A challenge was brought under the Voting Rights Act. Since the African American community in Granville County is not concentrated in a way that would allow more than one black majority district to be formed, the district court ordered that the county implement a limited voting system so that African Americans were ensured representation. The Fourth Circuit Court, however, overturned this decision, concluding that single member districts would provide sufficient representation, in spite of the fact that this would leave large numbers of black voters with no hope of being able to elect a black candidate. In consequence, the Board of Commissioners has only one African American member, when it would need two to reflect the countyís ethnic makeup. The commissioners are now elected from each of seven districts in staggered elections to serve four-year terms. The County School Board consists of seven members who are elected from seven districts in staggered elections to serve six-year terms. Granville County contains no large cities. The largest town, Oxford, has a population of 6,178 people. Their Board of Commissioners consists of seven members who are elected at large in staggered elections to serve four-year terms. Butner is the only other town with a population over 4,000. It has a seven member Advisory Board whose members are elected at large in non-staggered elections to four-year terms.



Home. > Program for Representative Government > Our Work > North Carolina Reform Roundtables > Minority under-representation > The Problem > Granville County
	Granville County Activists within Granville County have already tried to implement limited voting for County Board of Commissioner elections. The County as a whole is 34.8% African American and has only one African American commissioner. Until 1987 commissioners were elected at large from the county as a whole, with the result that the minority vote was diluted and African Americans were unable to get elected. A challenge was brought under the Voting Rights Act. Since the African American community in Granville County is not concentrated in a way that would allow more than one black majority district to be formed, the district court ordered that the county implement a limited voting system so that African Americans were ensured representation. The Fourth Circuit Court, however, overturned this decision, concluding that single member districts would provide sufficient representation, in spite of the fact that this would leave large numbers of black voters with no hope of being able to elect a black candidate. In consequence, the Board of Commissioners has only one African American member, when it would need two to reflect the countyís ethnic makeup. The commissioners are now elected from each of seven districts in staggered elections to serve four-year terms. The County School Board consists of seven members who are elected from seven districts in staggered elections to serve six-year terms. Granville County contains no large cities. The largest town, Oxford, has a population of 6,178 people. Their Board of Commissioners consists of seven members who are elected at large in staggered elections to serve four-year terms. Butner is the only other town with a population over 4,000. It has a seven member Advisory Board whose members are elected at large in non-staggered elections to four-year terms.	Recent Articles October 19th 2009 A better election system Lowell Sun Election expert Doug Amy explains how choice voting can "inject new blood" into the elections of Lowell (MA), and give voters a greater incentive to participate. October 16th 2009 Haven't Detroit voters spoken enough? Livingston Daily In Detroit, there have been three mayors in the past two years and the current one has come under scrutiny. Perhaps a system like instant runoff voting will help bring political stability to motor city. August 21st 2009 Black candidate for Euclid school board to test new voting system Cleveland Plain Dealer Limited voting, a form of proportional voting, will be used in Euclid (OH), in the hopes of allowing better representation of minorities. July 2nd 2009 Reforming Albany New York Times FairVote's Rob Richie responds in a letter to the editor making the case for proportional voting systems to bring substantive reform to New York's legislature.