VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Tuesday, city leaders moved one step closer to changing Virginia Beach’s local elections process, holding the latest and last public hearing for the recently introduced 10-1 voting system.
Voting in years past
Under the city’s old system, voters across the city could pick all 11 council members, separated across seven residence districts, three at-large seats and the mayor’s seat.
Since 1966, several years after the city of Virginia Beach merged with Princess Anne County, there have been only six candidates of color elected to city council positions through 2021.
The 10-1 system, in comparison, allows Virginia Beach voters to cast votes for their respective district representative across 10 city districts, giving voters the ability to choose candidates based more on their geographic location.
In the first glimpse of the 10-1 system in action this November, three candidates of color won city council seats, half as many as the number over a roughly 50 year window.
“That tells you the dynamics of the shift to the new system, the impacts it has on the black community. Right now we have the most diverse council in the City of Virginia Beach, and historically we haven’t seen this before,” Dr. Eric Majette said, the President of the Virginia Beach NAACP.
Support for the switch
More localized city council districts allows for more localized voting voter representation, Dr. Majette said.
“When you’re voting for someone out of your district, that becomes an issue because they have no impact of what’s in their district,” he said.
Data from the University of Virginia shows a majority of surveyed voters in Virginia Beach approve of the change.
A city-wide survey found only 15% of respondents did not like the 10-1 district map used in the November election.
It also found:
- 44% say the 10-1 system better represents their interest (the highest percentage threshold reached)
- 62% oppose their district’s Council member being elected city-wide
- 81% support keeping the 10-1 moving forward
Reservations among some
UVA research also analyzed that some parents may make less of an effort to vote for a school board representative in their district, since students can attend schools outside of their district.
Districts may also come into question over whether they’re fairly drawn.
Tuesday, city council held the final public hearing of the matter, which will now go before city council to a formal vote 8/15.