The last spring of the millenium is bringing renewed interest and hope for electoral reform at various levels throughout the USA and the world. Nationally, Mel Watts has introduced a Bill for the 106th Congress. Locally, East Bay activity is thriving (see page two) and our own AGM is happening next month. Initiatives of various sorts are occuring around the country, while Great Britain, the former bastion of winner-take-all elections, is becoming a hotbed of electoral experimentation and discussion (see page three and four).
At a mundane level, this newsletter is going from a quarterly to a bi-monthly publication to keep you more informed as the pace of electoral reform increases. THE EDITOR
Board Election material enclosed with this newsletter.
Please select your candidates by choice voting and mail your form in as soon as possible.States' Choice of Voting Systems Act .
Lobby your Representative today!
On March 17, 1999, Congressman Mel Watt (D-NC) introduced the States' Choice of Voting Systems Act, H.R. 1173. This bill is a simplified version of the two McKinney bills introduced in the 104th and 105th Congress, respectively.
Whereas the previous bills explicitly specified the use of proportional representation, the current bill just repeals the requirement (imposed in 1967) that states use single-member districts to elect Congressional Representatives.
It allows the use of multi-member districts as long as both the Constitutional standard of "one person one vote" is met (that is, each voter has to have equal voting power) and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is not violated. This last requirement would disallow block voting (that is, winner-takes-all) in the multi-member districts.
By not mentioning PR explicitly, H.R. 1173 can be positioned as a "States Rights" bill and is more likely to obtain the Republican and moderate Democrat support that will be required for passage.
The bill was introduced with twelve co-sponsors in addition to Mr. Watt: George Brown (D-CA), Eva Clayton (D-NC), James Clyburn (D-SC), Elijiah Cummings (D-MD), Danny Davis (D-FL), Barney Frank (D-MA), Alcee Hastings (D-FL), Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Robert Scott (D-VA), and Bennie Thompson (D-MS).
All are members of either the Congressional Black Caucus or the Progressive Caucus or both. As you can see, they are all Democrats, except for Bernie Sanders, the lone Independent in Congress.
H.R. 1173 is currently in the Committee on the Judiciary. No hearings have been scheduled, nor are they likely without lobbying. California members of the Judiciary Committee include: Howard Berman (D-26; San Fernando Valley), Mary Bono (R-44; Palm Springs and environs), Elton Gallegly (R-23; Ventura County), Zoe Lofgren (D-16; Santa Clara County), James Rogan (R-27; Pasadena and environs), and Maxine Waters (D-35; Los Angeles).
Now is the time to lobby your representative. Give them a call and ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 1173. Better yet, write them a letter! If you happen to live in Zoe Lofgren's district, this is a double priority for you. If you live in Barbara Lee's district, write her a thank you note!
Steve Chessin,
VP of State and National Campaigns
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
IN MAY
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NCCPR RETREAT IN JUNE
Our Annual General Meeting will take place on Saturday, May 22 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the location below. Local organizing and education have been the themes this past year and we will highlight these at the meeting. We will discuss the many exciting advances made and make plans for the future.
This is the time for all of us to come together to
NCCPR Annual General Meeting
will be held at:
... see Page TWO (RETREAT)
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