ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: September 4, 1996
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: City Clerk, in consultation with the Director of Legal
Services
SUBJECT: Election Systems and Municipal Government:
Opinion Question to Electors -
1996 General Local Elections, November 16, 1996
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT City Council approve the wording of the opinion question
regarding the election of local government officials,
identified as Option 1 on page 4 in this report.
B. THAT factual information regarding the options for electing
local government officials identified in the question be
distributed to electors as a section of the City's Election
Information Brochure.
CONSIDERATION
C. THAT City Council approve the wording of the opinion question
regarding the election of local government officials,
including the third alternative of a mixed system, identified
as Option 2 on page 4 in this report.
D. THAT separate questions be provided for the election of Park
Commissioners and School Trustees.
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager RECOMMENDS approval of A and B, and submits C and
D for CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
There is no Council Policy directly applicable to this matter.
Section 138 of the Vancouver Charter provides:
(1) Unless a by-law under subsection (2) applies, every member of
Council must be elected from the City at- large.
(2) The Council may, by by-law, provide that all or some of
Councillors be elected on a neighbourhood constituency basis.
(3) A by-law under subsection (2) must establish the areas that
are to be neighbourhood constituencies and provide for an
orderly transition to election on this basis.
(4) A by-law under sub-section (2) must be approved by the
Lieutenant Governor in Council before it is adopted.
Section 184 of the Vancouver Charter provides:
The Council, for its own information, may submit for the opinion
of the electors any question with which the Council has or desires
to have the power to deal.
Section 486(i) of the Vancouver Charter provides:
The members of the (Park) Board shall be nominated and elected at
the same time and in the same manner as Councillors.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to recommend to Council the wording for
the opinion question to be submitted to the Electors during the Local
Government Elections to be held this fall, regarding the City's
existing "at large" system of electing local government officials. The
report also recommends further action to be taken to provide
information to City electors in preparation for this question.
Submitted for consideration is an alternate question which provides an
option of a mixed system for electing local government officials.
BACKGROUND
In his Inaugural Address of December 1993, Mayor Owen announced there
would be a referendum on a ward system as part of the next municipal
election. At that time he also asked the City Manager and the City
Clerk to report to Council on the composition of a wards review
committee, including the terms of reference, budget and procedure to
establish boundaries and the process for public participation.
Based on discussions with the City Manager and the City Clerk, the
Mayor later recommended the review of the ward boundaries be deferred
until the results of the 1996 referendum are known and the data from
the 1996 Census is available. Further, should the 1996 referendum
result in a decision to change the present system to a different one,
the system would not be implemented until the following election in
November 1999.
City Council, during its meeting held November 14, 1995, resolved that
a referendum regarding wards or an at large system, be held at the time
of the November 1996 election. Council further resolved that if the
results of the 1996 referendum indicate more than 60% of the voters
favour a ward system, the current Council recommend that the 1997
Council establish a wards boundary review committee utilizing data from
the 1996 Census.
Council also directed staff to report back with factual information on
the history of governance in Vancouver and current at large/ward
experiences in other North American Cities.
A motion that the 1996 referendum be based on the question of either a
full ward or an at large system, not a partial ward system, was
deferred.
On June 26, 1996, City Council received the report prepared by the City
Clerk, Election Systems and Municipal Government. Council also approved
funding for the printing and distribution of the report to interested
groups and individuals and directed the City Clerk, in consultation
with the Director of Legal Services, report back on the proposed
wording of the question.
Approximately 650 reports have been distributed to interested parties
since early July, 1996.
DISCUSSION
The provisions of the Vancouver Charter pertaining to wards (now
referred to as neighbourhood constituencies) were replaced by the
enactment of the Local Elections Reform Act on July 29, 1993. The
current Charter provisions permit Council, by by-law, passed by a
simple majority, to provide for all or some of the councillors to be
elected on a neighbourhood constituency basis. While the bylaw must be
approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, there is no longer a
requirement that a change to the electoral system be approved by a 60%
vote in a plebiscite of electors.
Although no longer required, Council has directed the opinion of
electors be sought before giving further consideration to a change to
the system of electing local government officials. Further, Council
resolved that, if the results of the question indicate more than 60% of
the voters favour a ward system, this Council recommend the 1997
Council establish a wards boundary review committee, utilizing the data
from the 1996 Census.
The Question
Council is seeking the opinion of the electors regarding whether or not
they favour a change in the existing "at large" system of electing
Councillors to a system whereby Councillors would be elected by wards
(or neighbourhood constituencies).
It is recommended the question be structured as follows:
Option 1: Are you in favour of changing the existing system of
electing Councillors "at large" to one whereby
Councillors would be elected by wards (neighbourhood
constituencies)?
Yes ( )
No ( )
Alternate Question Submitted for Consideration
Research by the City Clerk, reported in Election Systems and Municipal
Government, identified three main systems of electing city government
in use in North America: at large, ward and mixed systems. A mixed
system provides for the election of some Councillors at large and some
by ward. Section 138 of the Vancouver Charter provides that some or
all Councillors may be elected on a neighbourhood constituency basis
(i.e. by wards).
Council may, therefore, wish to consider the following alternate
question which would determine if the electorate favour a change in the
existing at large system and, if the system were to change, which of
the other two systems is preferred.
Option 2: Are you in favour of changing the existing system of
electing Councillors "at large"?
Yes ( )
No ( )
If the existing system were to change, which system of
electing Councillors would you prefer?
Ward System ( )
Mixed System ( )
It should be noted these questions are being asked to seek the opinion
of the electors, as provided by Section 184 of the Vancouver Charter.
As the questions are seeking an opinion only, the results are not
binding on Council.
Separate questions could also be asked regarding the election of Park
Commissioners and School Trustees. The Park Board and School Board
have received copies of this report, and will be advising Council of
their respective positions on the matter.
In accordance with its November 14, 1996 resolution, if 60% or more of
the electors favour a change in the existing "at large" system, Council
will recommend the 1997 Council establish a wards boundary review
committee. If Option 2 is selected, the results of the second question
would be useful to both Council and the Committee, by indicating which
system is preferred to the existing "at large" system (i.e. a full ward
or mixed ward system).
It is anticipated if 60% or more of the electorate vote in favour of a
change, and if the 1997 Council appoints a wards boundary committee,
the committee will report its recommendations to the 1997 Council such
that a by-law may be adopted to allow the implementation of a new
system of electing city government in the 1999 General Local Elections.
It should be noted, however, under the current provisions of the
Vancouver Charter, the 1997 Council will NOT be bound to take any of
these actions.
Public Information Program
It is considered critical the electorate be fully informed of the
options being presented in this question. It is therefore recommended
information regarding the systems for electing city government,
identified in the question, be included in the 1996 General Local
Elections Information Brochure. This brochure, which contains general
elections information, including a list of candidates and information
on the 1997-1999 Capital Program Plan Borrowing Questions, will be
distributed to city electors by Canada Post AdMail and as an insert in
a community newspaper for distribution to all households in the city.
The brochure will advise how to obtain additional information,
including how to obtain copies of the full Election Systems report.
The information will also be translated into other languages for
distribution through the City's Elections Community Outreach program.
* * *
General Mgr./Dept. Head: Report date: September 4, 1996
________________________ Author: G. Mervyn
Date: __________________ Phone: 7274 IRTS Number:
This report has been prepared Concurring Departments:
in consultation with the
departments listed to the _Law Department__________________
right, and they concur with
its contents. _________________________________
_________________________________
APPENDIX I
ELECTOR OPINION QUESTION
SYSTEM FOR ELECTING CITY GOVERNMENT
City Councils in North America are elected according to three main
systems:
- at large systems in which all eligible voters within the city
boundaries vote on the same list of candidates, and those elected
represent all areas of the city equally.
- ward systems in which a city is broken down into smaller areas
(wards or neighbourhood constituencies) and voters in each area
vote on their own list of candidates who wish to represent their
area on Council. Wards may be single or multi-member.
- mixed systems which include some members elected at large and some
by ward.
In most cities, whether using a ward system or not, the Mayor is
elected at large and independently from the rest of Council.
City Government Officials in the City of Vancouver, including the
Mayor, 10 Councillors, 9 School Trustees (representing School District
No. 39) and 7 Park Commissioners are all currently elected at large.
In this election you will be asked to express your opinion regarding
the City's current system of electing city government by responding to
the following two questions:
Question 1. Are you in favour of a change to the existing system for
electing Councillors at large?
YES ( )
NO ( )
Question 2. If the existing system were to change, which system of
electing Councillors would you prefer?
WARD SYSTEM ( )
MIXED SYSTEM ( )
(Similar questions will be asked regarding the election of Park
Commissioners and School Trustees.)
- 2 -
If the results of this question indicate that 60% or more of the voters prefer a change from the existing at large system, City Council will
recommend to the new City Council that a wards boundary review
committee be appointed to consider and recommend a new system of
electing City Government for use in the 1999 General Local Elections.
For persons wishing additional information regarding this matter, the
report, Election Systems and Municipal Government, is available from
the Office of the City Clerk, Third Floor, City Hall, telephone
873-7276.