Subj: Rep. Cynthia McKinney Introduces PR Legislation
Date: 95-10-26 17:53:03 EDT
From: The Center for Voting and Democracy
Greetings!
Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney today introduced legislation allowing states to use three semi-proportional and proportional voting systems for U.S. House elections: choice voting, cumulative voting and limited voting. The bill amends the 1967 law that requires single-seat districts to allow multi-member districts when one the three systems are used: e.g, North Carolina could have two districts of six members each, four districts of three members each or some such combination adding up to 12 members.
Rep. McKinney was joined at her news conference by:
The news conference was well-attended and already has generated an Associated Press story. Congresswoman McKinney's statement is attached along with Jody Newman's statement, which expressed support for systems that would encourage more women candidacies. Paul Jacob -- who was appearing as an individual -- focused on his belief that states should have the right to choose how they elect their representatives. Curtis Gans focused on the likely positive impact on voter participation and real electoral competition. Rep. Clyburn discussed his long-time support for these systems. Richie (okay, that's me) focused on the fundamental problems of single-seat districts and the inevitable loss of many voters' ability to win the representation they seek.
For those of you attending our Boston conference, you'll be happy to know that all of the above plan to be at the conference. Congresswoman McKinney confirmed her appearance today.
Now obviously winner-take-all elections are not dead yet! As Winston Churchil said, this is not the end, this is not the beginning of the end, but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. Don't expect to see this strony on the front pages of your newspapers tomorrow. But with your help, check your editorial pages in the weeks ahead, and keep after your representatives (I will send out word of the bill number when that is provided next week) and the state and national organizations you support. And, if you can, join us in Boston on November 11-12!
Rob Richie
National Director, The Center for Voting and Democracy
Rep. Cynthia McKinney
October 26, 1995
Thank you all for attending today. The Supreme Court in June of this year upheld a lower court's decision striking down Georgia's Eleventh Congressional District. While Ia adamantly disagree with the court's verdict and the rationale behind it, my mother always tells me to try to make some good out of a bad situation. And that is what I propose to do. Later today I will introduce legislation challenging our notion that the candidate securing 51% of the vote deserves 100% of the power. As a Democrat, I firmly believe that the 30% of Republicans living in a 70% Democratic district should at least have some representation.
I am under no illusions that my legislation will pass any time soon, however, I do recognize the political imperatives which history demands. Women's suffrage began as a so- called realistic idea, as did the concept of democracy itself. Yet today these precepts are so entrenched in our polity that they have now become ingrained in our societal DNA. The discussion on this issue must being in earnest as public discontent increases, voter turnout decreases and political minorities come under siege in our halls of power
The courts have said that my district is unconstitutional, while declaring bizarre-shaped super-majority white districts as constitutional. Once such example is Texas' 6th district which is 91% white and resembles splattered spaghetti sauce. This contradictionis not a problem of majority-minority districts. It is a symptom of a much larger dysfunctionin our polity, that being our winner-take-all assumption. This anomaly where certain districts are struck down while others are upheld indicates that the courts are unaware of, or choose to ignore, how our winner-take-all system can shut out political minorities. Majority-minority districts are the best way we know how to give racial minorities the opportunity to elect their candidate of choice in our winner-take-all system. As more districts like mine are dismantled, we will need a new approach giving all Americans the opportunity to have a voice in our halls of power.
While regrettable, the Supreme Court's verdicts provides us a unique opportunity to expand our democracy -- through proportional voting -- for Americans of all viewpoints. Today, I will introduce legislation allowing states to employ three proportional voting methods in their congressional races. If a state chooses to adopt one or all of these approaches, it would then be allowed to draw multi-member congressional districts to accommodate these voting systems. These seemingly novel voting methods are not new, and are in fact being employed in places such as Massachusetts, Maryland and Alabama. Limited voting, cumulative voting and choice voting are the three methods included in my bill, giving all voters regardless of their beliefs more than one vote to cast on election day.
The lack of campaign finance reform and lobby reform are only part of the reason why voter turnouts are low and the electorate seems restless. Voter choices on election day are so limited that when Americans find themselves going to the polls, it is more often to vote against a candidate rather than to vote for a candidate. In a multi-member district, voters would hade more than one representative to elect and more than one vote to cast. Hence, if a voter liked once candidate's position on abortion and another candidate's position ontaxes, he or she could vote for both and conceivably see both of their choices elected. Our voters are not so naive and simplistic that all of their sentiments and interests can be compressed into one vote and one candidate.
Under all of these proportional voting methods, the electorate would be choosing their representatives, rather than representatives choosing their voters. Let us be honest, the drawing of congressional districts has always been about representatives and parties choosing who they want in their districts. My proposal would make that prospect much more difficult, while creating greater opportunities for other parties and independents to run winnable campaigns. The political establishment in Washington has a difficult time with proportional voting because it requires that they earn their power, not inherit it. Those who want our system opened up and made fairer look to proportional voting as a means to build a truly pluralistic electoral system. That is why I am fortunate to have with me today Mr. Paul Jacob who is here in his own capacity, but is also Executive Director of U.S. Term Limits. Also with me is Jody Newman, who is Executive Director of the National Women's Political Caucus. And Rob Richie of the Center for Voting and Democracy, which has been instrumental in helping us put together this legislation. Also with us is Curtis Gans of the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate. And of course, I am proud to have with me my dear friend and colleague, Congressman James Clyburn.
During our question and answer period, we will discuss the bill in detail. But first I would like to introduce Congressman Clyburn of South Carolina.
Executive Director, National Women's Political Caucus
(Read at News Conference)
We wish to reaffirm our support for Congresswoman McKinney to encourage careful consideration of electoral reforms which might open our political system to more women and increase the number of women in public office.
Research has suggested that systems of proportional representation resultin greater numbers of elected women, and that greater numbers of women are elected in multi-member districts than single-member districts. One study showed that in states which use both single- and multi- member districts to elect state legislators, the percentage of women is significantly higher in the multi-member districts. For example, in 1991 the single-member districts in North Carolina had 10 percent women while the multi-member districts had 20 percent women; women made up 8 percent of state legislators in single-member districts in Indiana and 20 percent in multi- member districts. Women seem to run more often in multi-member districts,and also to win at higher rates.
The National Women's Political Caucus encourages further exploration of the impact of which systems like those proposed by Congresswoman McKinney would have on the future of women in elected office.
(Handed out by UCC representatives at news conference)
The United Church of Christ has a long history of supporting civil rightslegislation to protect voting rights.
Any system which has kept one race unrepresented and out of power for decades and even centuries is morally corrupt. We have been proud that ways have been found to dismantle this system. Now we are outraged to find that new attacks on representation ofAfro-Americans are being mounted and sanctioned by the Supreme Court.
The drive for reform must be continued. Therefore, we support the leadership of Representative McKinney in seeking a national discussion and consideration of a proportional voting bill. In many situations, this looks to be a real solution to a real problem, and we hope it will be considered seriously.