Hey Marion, Arkansas, Friends and Family!

Currently, Marion has 3 wards with 2 council representatives from each ward, but all 6 council people are elected by a citywide vote, i.e. every registered voter in the city gets to vote for all 6 city council positions no matter what ward they live in.

THE PROBLEM: This means that council members can be elected without winning a majority of votes from their wards because there are literally more votes being cast from outside than from within!

The reason we have a citywide system is because that is the default system set by Arkansas law for cities to use; however, the same law allows cities and towns to change their citywide system to a ward-based system (or hybrid system) through a simple ordinance. Here is a link to the Justia website with the AR election code concerning municipal elections: https://law.justia.com/.../subchapter-3/section-14-43-307/

REASONS for CHANGE
1. More Democratic... According to the National League of Cities, ward-only voting promotes local control and better responsiveness of elected officials. By adopting a ward-only voting system, we uphold democratic values by ensuring that all voices within the city get the proper representation they deserve.

2. Enhanced local representation... Studies show a ward-based system of elections helps make council members more directly accountable to the residents of their specific ward, leading to a greater focus on neighborhood-specific issues and concerns. Under such a system, council members are often more attuned to the day-to-day issues affecting their constituents, such as infrastructure, public safety, and community services. This would likely also lead to increased accessibility as residents would find it easier to connect with and hold accountable a council member who resides in their local area and is primarily focused on their ward's needs.

3. More diversity of representation... A ward system of voting could facilitate the election of a more diverse council that reflects the city's various ethnic and socio-economic populations. Currently, there are no African Americans on the city council despite people of color making up 45 percent of the population here.
3b. At-large city council election systems can make it more difficult for minority communities or specific geographic areas to elect candidates of their choice, especially if their populations are dispersed or form a smaller percentage of the overall city vote. This has historically led to legal challenges under the Voting Rights Act.

4. Lower campaign costs... Candidates in ward-only systems typically need fewer resources (money) to campaign within a smaller geographic area compared to a citywide race. This can also make running for office more accessible to a broader range of folks.

5. It's time Marion caught up... Jonesboro, West Memphis, Wynne, and many other cities and towns in Arkansas elect council people through a ward-only voting system.

6. Doesn't make sense... As I see it, our current system is akin to letting someone from California or Maine vote for our federal representatives and senators. We believe only citizens from their respective wards should get to elect their council representatives.

UPDATE: The council passed our ordinance 3-2 on its first reading in July; however, the council allowed the ordinance to procedurally die without explanation during its August meeting. This was despite over 150 signatures gathered and a dozen different citizens speaking before the council in favor of the ordinance. CURRENTLY, we are asking the council to put our ordinance on the ballot to let voters decide. 

Here is a link to the City of Marion website if you would like to contact your council representative: https://www.marionar.org/page/city-government-overview