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In time for @ColumbusCouncil’s hearing tonight for finalists’ testimony for the redistricting comm’n, a thread on why our at-large Council system dilutes BIPOC communities’ political power & why these new districts don’t mean much by way of increasing political representation
Historically at-large council systems were employed in cities with the express and racist purpose of keeping (esp) Black communities from gaining political power and representation. They were employed largely in the south, but also in the north - including here in Columbus.
Columbus used to have a ward city council (where communities each had their own reps), but when we adopted an at-large system (under which the entire city votes on all candidates), we didn’t elect a Black Council person for 50 years.
That isn’t a coincidence; it is by design.
That isn’t a coincidence; it is by design.
At-large systems drove a large portion of the @NAACP_LDF’s work to reject racist structures built to keep BIPOC communities from accessing democracy and political power.
These cases established existing legal jurisprudence around voting rights and equal representation rights.
These cases established existing legal jurisprudence around voting rights and equal representation rights.
To underscore the severity of the issue with Columbus Council’s structure, the LDF, in fact, posited in 2017 that our at-large system may violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act bc it denies Black residents the ability to elect representatives of their choosing.
Activists have tried for years to get an actual ward-based Council, but the Dem machine here has proactively fought tooth and nail to maintain our at-large system.
Why, then, do Columbus Democrats work so hard to maintain our at-large council system?
Great question.
Why, then, do Columbus Democrats work so hard to maintain our at-large council system?
Great question.
After the latest attempt to get a ward council, we got a proposal from @ColumbusCouncil for a hybrid system where we’d get both at-large reps and ward reps. Seemingly a win!
Not so fast: all of our Council seats will still be voted on in an at-large system.
Not so fast: all of our Council seats will still be voted on in an at-large system.
To compare, that’d be like if all of Ohio got to vote on each other’s House Reps or if the entire country voted for each other’s congressional members.
If you’re confused, you should be!
The system also maintains a structure built to dilute BIPOC communities’ political power.
If you’re confused, you should be!
The system also maintains a structure built to dilute BIPOC communities’ political power.
A lot of candidates tonight talked about the importance of political representation and #FairMaps. I, of course, full-heartedly believe in those two principles.
Maintaining an at-large system will not deliver those for Columbus. We need actual reform to empower our communities.
Maintaining an at-large system will not deliver those for Columbus. We need actual reform to empower our communities.
We often hear about how Columbus is a city for all of us. That’s not true in so many ways (one could point to our racist police and economic segregation as two quick examples).
But fighting for equitable access to our democracy is how we fight back to build the future we want.
But fighting for equitable access to our democracy is how we fight back to build the future we want.
We will not do that with an at-large system no matter how seemingly fair the new districts seem.
And if our Democrats on Council want to keep defending a system meant to marginalize people from the political process, they should step aside for us actual fighters for democracy.
And if our Democrats on Council want to keep defending a system meant to marginalize people from the political process, they should step aside for us actual fighters for democracy.
