(Shortly after my campaign for the county commission, I wanted to gather a greater context of my local counties election method for County Commission and Board of Education against the prevailing methods of the other 159 counties.  While specific to a local initiative to enact district based voting, this represents a good starting point for the kind of content I believe the Barrel Room is perfect for. -- Jon)

Summary

In July of this year, Forsyth County voters approved in overwhelming numbers a non-binding question placed on the primary ballot. 

(Source: Forsyth County Registrar - July 2008 Primary)

Elect BOC/BOE by District. July Primary
Yes	74%
No	26%

The question; whether or not we should elect our Board of Commission and Board of Education members by district, was a clear winner with 74% of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents supporting the measure. It's with good reason that they did.  A look at the composition of county commissions throughout Georgia demonstrates that "At-Large" voting - the practice of electing of all commissioners by county-wide vote is growing increasingly obsolete in the face of a citizenry demanding more accountability in their local elected leadership.

In fact, Forsyth County is lagging far behind other counties of similar size.  The question for Forsyth County is not if we should change. The question is what a reformed election model in Forsyth County would be best.  This report is a primer for our legislative delegation and other interested parties.  As our leaders examine the concept of district-based voting, and the potential election models, we hope that this report can help them realize the will of Forsyth County voters for more direct representation in our county government.

A Snap Shot of Forsyth County and County Government in Georgia

Today, Forsyth County has a five member County Commission and Board of Education (BOC & BOE).  Each member of the BOC and BOE is apportioned by, and must reside within, a well defined geographic district.  While this ensures geographical representation, all elections for all seats in Forsyth County are held by a county-wide vote.  All Commissioners are considered "part-time" public servants with a pay scale based on a small salary, and a meeting per diem paid on a set amount of allowable meetings per month.  This model for electing BOC and BOE members stands in stark contrast to a large majority of county governments in Georgia.  Indeed, only 13.8% of all Georgia counties elect on a pure "At-Large" model.

(Source: Characteristics of Georgia County Government 2007 - ACCG)

The three models in the state of Georgia for BOE's and BOC's elections - At-Large, District, and Sole Commissioner Counties - have the following general characteristics:

Sole Commissioner (9) - Typically rural counties with small populations.  With the exception of Walker and Bartow counties, all sole commissioner counties have populations smaller than 50,000.  In every case, the Sole Commissioner is a "full-time" elected position.  In 2 cases, the county employs either a full time county administrator or manager.

At-Large (22) -  Typically smaller counties and commissions of varying size (between 3 and 6 seats).  While the population size of At-Large counties is small - with an average of 35,683 people - there is an exceptional range. The smallest At-Large county has 1,884 people, while the largest has 158,914 people.  However, a significant majority - 17 of the 22 counties - has fewer than 50,000 people.

The BOC's are evenly split on how the Chairperson position is selected, with 11 being selected by the Board and 11 elected by the voters.  Additionally, in 9 counties, the Chairperson's position is a "full-time" paid position.

District Based (128) -  By far the most diverse and widely used form of local elections.  District voting counties also vary in size. The smallest county has 2,245 people, and the largest has 992,137 people.  However, District voting counties are nearly twice as size of At-Large counties at an average population of 64,599 people.

(Source: Characteristics of Georgia County Government 2007 - ACCG)

County Chair Models in District Counties
Chair Selected by...	Chair Position is...
72 - Elected by Voters	85 - "Part-Time"
55 - Selected by Board	43 - "Full-Time"

In 16 counties there a blend exists of seats that are elected by District and At-Large.  These are notably counties that elect commissioners by district, but also employ county wide votes for the chairman.  Other counties (mostly very large ones) employ "super-districts" where larger counties designate districts of a certain size and are also represented by "super-districts" that cover a larger geographical area.

There is also a large diversity in how commissions are governed in District counties.

As A County Population Rises - So Do Changes in Governance

(Consolidated: ACCG & Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau - March 2008)

As populations have grown in other Georgia counties, the number of At-Large voting areas have dropped dramatically. 

Of the 22 largest counties in Georgia - those with over 100,000 people - only 2 counties rely on a county wide vote for all county commission members.  In counties that have greater than 150,000 people, there is only 1 county that elects At-Large.

Based on 2007 US Census estimates, Forsyth County has a population in excess of 158,000.  In fact, Forsyth County stands alone as the largest county in Georgia that only provides an "At-Large" voting process for all it's commission members.

Interestingly enough, the other large county to still use an At-Large process - Houston County (pop. 131,016) - has a county wide elected Chairperson who is also a "Full-Time" public servant.

The data in conclusive.  While Forsyth County has held the line with all part-time commissioners, who select their Chair, and who are voted on by all voters in the county, other local governments across the state have chosen more dynamic and responsive forms of local representation.  While population size is not the only variable, it is clear that Forsyth County is uncharateristic of it's larger peers.

A Full Time Elected Chair?

(Consolidated: ACCG & Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau - March 2008)

A look across the different Georgia counties also reveals an interesting dynamic with respect to the status of the commission chairman.  In short (see right), as a county population rises, so too does the likelyhood that the county has opted to make the chairperson a full-time paid public servant.

This is not a universally shared practice for all counties, as part-time commissioners still outnumber full-time commissioners on a state-wide basis.  Only 34% of the 159 counties in Georgia have full-time chairpersons.  But it is also unmistakable, that as the county grows and demands for decision making necessarily increase, full-time commission chairpersons are becoming the norm, not the exception.

In the top 22 counties - those with over 100,000 people - there is a near split; with 12 counties emplying a full-time chair and 10 relying on a part-time chair as public servant.

Yet, when it comes to allowing voters the maximum choice in electing leadership, the numbers are once again unmistakable. Using the same marker of the top 22 counties, only 3 counties have a board selected chairperson.  And yet again, Forsyth County has the sole distinction of being the outlier to its peers. Forsyth County is the only county with a population of over 150,000 to have a board selected chairperson.  While the practice of electing full-time commissioners is still growing, the practice of larger counties allowing voters to elect its chair is now a commonly held practice.

Conclusion

As evidenced by the data, Forsyth County has allowed its process of electing local officials (and its operational makeup) to stagnate over time.  While other counties across the state have made dynamic and progressive changes to the practice of electing local leadership, Forsyth County has not followed suit.  Forsyth County seriously lags its county peers in 2 major areas; 1.) moving to a process of electing it's BOC and BOE members by District, and 2.) moving to a process that allows the voters to determine the chairpersons position.  As is always the case, the political ramification of a change in the local election process are potentially far-reaching and surely unsettling to the powers that guide the status quo.  But it is also equally clear that the broader public opinion of Forsyth County supports change.  As the increasing demands for service and the desire for direct accountability increase, action by our legislative delegation to support these efforts require their immediate attention.

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Citiations

--  Election Data: Forsyth County Registrar Site (http://www.forsythco.com/ElectionResults/2008_07_15/Summary.htm)
--  County Data: Characteristics of Georgia County Government - 2007 (ACCG - http://www.accg.org/content.asp?contentid=634)
--  Population Data: Table 1: Annual Estimates of the Population for Counties of Georgia: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2007 (CO-EST2007-01-13) Population Division, US Census Bureau - March 2008