Good news for democracy
Peoria will be allowed to hold an election for at-large city council seats after all. And the Journal Star’s award-winning (snicker) editorial board has come out in favor of doing way with cumulative voting for at-large seats. That’s a position I favor. The difference is that I think at-large seats on the council weakens neighborhoods. The Journal Star believes it might be their best shot at getting Gary Sandberg off the council.
I have news for the name gnomes: Sandberg could win election to the council from ANY of the city’s five districts. You see, the average voter is about ten times smarter than the average member of the JS editorial board.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
Whoa! It’s just this. Darn. I read the headline and thought Karl Rove quit.
I (heart) Gary Sandberg and wish I lived inside city limits so I too could vote for him.
it seems like I recall this being a problem that was solved by the software which was rejected because one of the republican members of the election commission failed to disclose his personal and familial relationship with the company. That was shady and unacceptable, but if that company had been chosen, I believe we wouldn’t need the legislation. Like you, I wish we’d get rid of the cummulative voting. I’m confident that district boundaries could be drawn to protect minority populations at least as well as the current system which elects 2 african americans.