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Tag Archives: single-member districts
The advantages of a hybrid city council
Some weeks ago I was approached by some of the members of the 2012 Charter Revision Committee who read some of my previous posts on single-member and at-large districts. They asked me to write a more comprehensive document detailing the … Continue reading
Austin has seven Mayors, actually
From the Austin City Code: The councilmember elected to and occupying the place designated “mayor” shall be the mayor of the City of Austin. At its first meeting following each regular election of councilmembers, the council shall, by election, designate … Continue reading
Is “Ward Courtesy” Likely to Happen with SMDs?
Chris Bradford over at Austin Contrarian – the inspiration for this humble blog – argues that SMDs will institutionalize planning and zoning parochialism: Council members whose districts will not be affected directly will have an incentive to defer to the … Continue reading
What does empirical political science tell us about single-member districts?
In Austin, SMD proponents claim that a new electoral scheme will (1) improve the delivery of public services by creating geographic representation, (2) increase the proportion of Latinos elected to the City Council, and (3) address relatively low voter turnout … Continue reading
Austin Budget: Special Interests or Public Interest?
Over at the Austin Post, Marius argues that the growth in utility and police spending, along with animal vaccinations spending, is emblematic of a political culture where “Austin’s citizens right now are only heard as vocal minorities or quiet economic … Continue reading
Keep Austin Wonky 