GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 1993
H	1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 1397

		
Sponsors:	Representatives Luebke; McCrary, Jeffus, Braswell, and Fitch.	
Referred to:	Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.	
May 13, 1993

A joint resolution authorizing the legislative research commission to study alternate election systems, such as multimember/proportional election methods.

Whereas, the current winner‑take‑all electoral system can cause a lack of confidence among unrepresented groups; and
Whereas, creating districting systems as a solution to the problem can cause political isolation of groups districted, create districts that are hard to understand and administer, and can cause a lack of confidence in the political system by many voters even as it solves underrepresentation of minority groups; and
Whereas, alternate electoral systems exist which can allow representation of political minorities without creating hard to administer and understand districting plans; and
Whereas, such systems include multimember/proportional election methods; and
Whereas, multimember/proportional election methods avoid the racial separation and divisiveness inherent in traditional "winner‑take‑all" election methods; and
Whereas, limited voting, cumulative voting, and the single‑transferable vote have been used extensively to assure fair minority representation; and
Whereas, it may be desirable to give cities, counties, and school boards the option of choosing these alternative election systems, but such alternates need to be well thought through, including compatibility with existing partisan and nonpartisan elections, and designing ballots that themselves do not become too complicated;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
Section 1.  The Legislative Research Commission may study alternative methods of conducting and determining the results of elections.
Sec. 2.  This resolution is effective upon ratification.