In 2001 a group
of citizens in Sandusky, Ohio tried to change the city government to a
mayor/ward system. This site tells about that election. The site remains for others to use for research or to learn
what can happen in their own fight for change.
Sanduskians
for Mayor/Ward 2001
"A mayor form and ward
system basically provides more direct participation from the citizens. The
government becomes more proactive, more goal-oriented, because there's basically
a voter referendum every four years on the city's leadership." - Kevin
Zeiher
"The ward system identifies
a person with a particular area of town, and he'll be more responsible to those
people in that area." - Dannie Edmon
Introduction
It was defeated. 55%
to 45%. The City sent a letter out with the
charter change to all the voters urging them NOT to vote for the charter change:
"...As your duly elected
city Commissioners, we are not in favor of these proposed
amendments that will bring partisan politics into our local government and have
unanimously stated our opposition to their passage.
"These proposed
amendments would result in detrimental changes to our current form of local government.
The proposed amendments, if approved by the voters, will result in the
creation of six (6) wards in the City whose voters will only be able to elect
one City Commissioner out of the six (6). Under our current City Charter all
City voters vote for and elect all seven (7) of the members of the City
Commission.
"There are many other
harmful impacts these proposed amendments would cause. The determination of
these amendments falls solely to you the voters of the City. The City
Commission is legally required to present a copy to you and this should not
be interpreted as an endorsement or support.
"PLEASE VOTE NO ON ISSUE
#23"
It was signed by all
but one of the commissioners. Illegal? Yes, of course. It was mailed out using
our tax dollars. The letter was drafted by our city attorney. The city pays for
the best attorneys in the state. And even though this is illegal, there is
almost nothing that can be done about this kind of abuse. Since the city was
required by law to send a copy of the proposed charter change to all the voters
of Sandusky, they are allowed to piggyback a letter like this provided they pay
all the costs of printing the letter, etc. About ($100). So as citizens if we
take the city to court, all we can do is make them put $100 back into the city
treasury. And it doesn't matter that one of the commissioners publicly stated
that he disagreed with the letter and that all the commissioners were not in
favor of telling all the voters to vote against the charter amendment.
The city has done this before.
Then they point out that the taxpayers did not want the charter change since it
was voted down.
The City Attorney picked at the charter change and got nice front page coverage.
All the letters refuting the front page articles were buried in the paper.
In spite of all
that, LOOK AT HOW WELL WE DID! If you are thinking about doing something similar
in your town, I suggest that somehow you get a list of every voter and
personally call them on the phone. It may be the only way you can get something
passed.
2001
