HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93009_2256of the total cost and to circulate the plans with the general public after completion. Menscer said
the chamber board was also requesting the matter to be placed on a referendum ballot for either the
May 2000 primary or the November 2000 election.
Mr. Menscer gave the following reasons for the request.
1. Population growth in the entire county.
2. Diversity in the communities comprising the county.
3. Other elected bodies in the county have some form of district voting, e.g., Mooresville
Town Board, Statesville City Council, and the Iredell-Statesville School Board.
4. Most North Carolina counties have some form of district voting.
5. Only three out of the seven Iredell-Statesville school districts have a county
commissioner as a resident.
6. Geographical features of the county (65 miles long and 35 miles wide).
Commissioner Fortner said she was understanding the chamber board just wanted the county
to begin the process by contracting with an agency to draw up districts, and that later, the chamber
members would talk with the public to see which plan was favored.
Menscer said that was correct. He said the chamber had already met with two groups (north
Iredell and Statesville) about the matter.
Chairman Haire asked Menscer if he was convinced that citizens of north Iredell could not
be elected under the present system.
Menscer said no.
Chairman Haire said the current Sheriff, Register of Deeds, and Clerk of Court were all from
the northern end of the county. In addition, she said that state representative Frank Mitchell, who
was a former county commissioner, was also a resident of north Iredell.
Menscer said, "This is not about geography. This is not about north versus south. This is
about diversity. It's about district representation in relation to growth."
Commissioner Bowles asked Menscer if anyone had talked to the Mooresville -South Iredell
Chamber about the matter.
Menscer said contact was made over a year ago, but the Mooresville chamber was not
interested at that time.
DOUG MADISON (FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER) IN REFERENCE TO
VOTING DISTRICT PLANS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ELECTIONS OF
IREDELL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS: Madison said the chamber appeased to be concerned
about the under representation of the north Iredell voters. He said he had talked to the elections
supervisor about the last election for commissioners and obtained statistical data for the top six
precincts, which covered a third of the county. He said that the Eagle Mills Township had a
registration of 42% Democrat, 48% Republican, and 10% unaffiliated. Madison said that overall
for the six precincts there were 45% registered Democrats, 44% Republican and 11% unaffiliated.
Mr. Madison said he took the election results of the two commissioners who were elected and lived
in southern Iredell (Haire and Bowles) and compared them with the defeated county commissioner
candidate who resided in north Iredell (Marshall Redmond). Out of the top precincts, Haire
received 65% of the vote and Bowles received 54%. Redmond received 45%. Madison said,
"This indicates to me, that north Iredell voters spoke pretty loudly in the election favoring the south
Iredell conservatives over the north Iredell liberals." Mr. Madison said he didn't think it was an
issue of Democrat versus Republican or a geographical issue. Madison said he thought it was a
liberal/conservative issue. He said, "As was the case, liberals spoke normally with broad
generalities, laced with fear and innuendo with much more hype than substance."