VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Members of the Virginia Beach branch of the NAACP and other community activists are concerned state leaders may be attempting to remove the city's 10-1 voting system.
Back in August, city leaders voted to make a change to the city charter on who city residents could vote for based on their district.
Two bills are now in the General Assembly to make the change permanent, but some feel state leaders are not listening to voters in Virginia Beach.
"We are here today because there are things going on today in Richmond right now to try and undo that," Gary McCollum, with the social activist group, DUE the RIGHT THINGS, said.
The City of Virginia Beach now follows what is called a 10-1 voting system, meaning each person only votes for the mayor and the council member for their district.
Under the old at large system, voters were able to vote for every candidate who ran for city office regardless of their district.
Back in 2022, voters picked their councilmembers base on this 10-1 system.
News
Federal judge: Part of N.C. elections law is likely unconstitutional
In 2023, a study was done to see how city residents liked the new system.
Consultants from the University of Virginia presented their recommendations and research after holding public feedback sessionswith residents about the current 10-1 election voting system.
They said majority of residents wanted to keep the current voting system in place.
While it was voted on by the council months later, it required a charter change, which must be approved by the General Assembly.
One bill has passed the senate, but another is facing challenges in the house.
"We have delegates from Virginia Beach who are basically not listening to the will of the citizens of Virginia Beach," McCollum said.
Delegate Anne Tata and Delegate Barry Knight voted against the bill on Friday due to ongoing litigation.
"The Attorney General of Virginia is looking at this, and we'll certainly know a whole lot more about this case next week when this thing is filed and the attorney general weighs in on that," Knight said. "So knowing that a lot of times we don't move bills forward when they're in litigation, I just want you to know I'm going to vote no on it today."
Deputy City Attorney, Chris Boynton, told members of the General Assembly this changed received approval from the previous attorney general and from the current attorney general back in October.
"We're not aware currently of any impending action from the Attorney General's Office but we do have the certificate of non-objection here if the committee would like to see it," Boynton said.
Richard Kowalewitch said he is one of the two people who filed that latest lawsuit and said he is not against the new voting system but feels the change should have been a referendum.
"That means it has to go out to the public for a vote," Kowalewitch said. "Not a 2,000 person survey."
We reached out to the Attorney General's Office to see how this lawsuit impacts the bills but we are still waiting to hear back.
