In Linn County on Tuesday, voters decided, in a special election, on a new form of county government. Up till this point, Linn County supervisors have been elected at-large from the county. Recently, all 3 supervisors have lived in Cedar Rapids, leaving the suburban and rural parts of the county with no representative looking out for their interests. After three years of petitioning, activists managed to do two things: 1) increase the number of supervisors from 3 to 5, and 2) call a special election to institute a district form of representation (Plan 3), where the county would be separated into 5, roughly equal districts. Candidates for supervisor must run for the district in which they live; citizens vote only in the race in their district.

I agree with those pedaling these changes in county government that the current system was biased against non-urban voters. At-large elections were not representing interests of the northern Linn County. But Plan 3 was not the only option. Read the rest of this entry »