Jefferson county is divided into three districts, and, while each district gets to choose their candidates for county commissioner, all districts vote in the final election.
This has never made sense to me.
Why is it that each district is not entitled to choose their own representative to the county commission?
In our last election, Greg Brotherton’s lead over Marcia Kelbon in District 3 precincts was just 7 points.
Had she been able to focus her campaigning in just District 3 it seems likely Kelbon would have gained more and her political point of view would have had a chance at representation on the county council.
It bothers me whenever the deck is stacked unfairly against a political minority, even if that minority runs contrary to my own political beliefs.
A conservative element runs throughout District 3, but the rules for elections ensure they will not win a seat on the county commission, and will therefore not be represented on an important decision making body for the county.
This is a matter that should concern all of us.
Free and fair elections are critical, and while I understand that the Republicans have worked hard to dismantle fairness, it behooves us not to enshrine such strategies into law.
I personally want diverse views brought to the table so that our commissioners can challenge each other to excellence.
Too much homogeny obscures this dynamic to our detriment.
I don’t know how these policies are created, but fairness demands a revision of this practice.
Nancy Charpentier
Port Townsend