Study Group Final Report
Transcript of Study Group Final Report
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September 7, 2021
RALEIGH CITY COUNCIL
ELECTION TERMS
COMPENSATION
VOTER PARTICIPATION
Study Group Final Report
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Eric Braun (Chair) Ashton Smith
Justin Sutton (Vice Chair) Nervahna Crew
Harvey Schmitt (Secretary) Catherine Lawson
Eugene Weeks Beth Trahos
Diana Powell Robbie Rikard
Members
Study Group
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Asked City Council to appoint a group to study…
• Terms
• Compensation
• Voter Engagement and Participation
• Size of Council
Citizen Petition on January 7, 2020
How We Got Here. . .
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Interim Report Issued on June 15, 2021
• Flexibility to Address Recommendations
• Promote Citizen Engagement
• Potential to Modify the Study Group’s Charge
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Study Group
• Be Respectful
• Be Patient
• Be Prepared
• Be Present
Ground Rules
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Guiding Principle
Study Group reached consensus on all
recommendations.
Consensus
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A Hybrid Approach
METHODOLOGY
• Similar Research for Charlotte
City Council
• Raleigh Study Group Research
• Facilitate Timely Report by
Combining Data
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• Strategic goals vs. local issues & constituent service
• Structured as an integrated whole to balance these competing
interests
• “Whole is greater than the sum of its parts”
METHODOLOGYBalancing Competing Interests
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1. 4-Year Terms
2. Staggered Terms
3. Even Year Elections
4. Increase Total Compensation
5. Develop & Implement Voter Engagement
Program
6. Add 1 New District Council Position
RECOMMENDATIONS
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RECOMMENDATION #14-Year Terms
Increasing Complexity 1973 2021
• Population: 131,000 467,665
• Size: 47 147 square miles
General Fund Budget: $543,672,881
Total Budget: $1,069,508,785
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Staggering terms maintains voters’ ability to
signal dissatisfaction and to demand course
corrections every two years.
District Councilors elected on one side of the
cycle and the Mayor and At-large Councilors on
the other side.
RECOMMENDATION #2Staggered Terms
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Increase Total Compensation
• Raleigh should adequately compensate elected officials for
the time, effort and sacrifice required to serve the City
effectively
• That is not the case today
• Higher total compensation will result in more diverse
candidates
• Review every 4 non-election years to ensure ongoing
adequacy
RECOMMENDATION #3
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NC Mayoral Total Compensation
North Carolina City/County
Mayor/Chair Current Annual
Stipend
Mayor/Chair Annual Expense
Allowance
Mayor/Chair Annual Auto
Allowance
Mayor/Chair Annual
Technology Allowance
Mayor/Chair Total Compensation
Charlotte - NEW $39,646 $9,795 $5,192 $5,235 $59,868
Mecklenburg County $37,370 $9,233 $4,893 $4,935 $56,431
Charlotte - CURRENT $27,196 $10,000 $4,800 $3,100 $45,096
Winston‐Salem $23,400 $8,400 $3,900 $ ‐ $35,700
Durham County $29,920 $ ‐ $3,300 $2,100 $35,320
Greensboro $30,475 $ ‐ $4,200 $ ‐ $34,675
Fayetteville $32,518 $ ‐ $ ‐ $1,112 $33,630
Wake County $28,517 $ ‐ $3,000 $300 $31,817
Durham $29,289 $ ‐ $2,400 $ ‐ $31,689
New Hanover County $26,074 $ ‐ $3,640 $900 $30,614
Raleigh - CURRENT $24,550 $1,200 $1,800 $ - $27,550
Cary $13,754 $ ‐ $10,590 $2,460 $26,804
Forsyth County $25,560 $ ‐ $ ‐ IPad/Cell phone $25,560
Guilford County $23,400 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $23,400
Asheville $22,898 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $22,898
Wilmington $15,228 $ ‐ $4,200 $2,400 $21,828
High Point $14,400 $4,200 $ ‐ $ ‐ $18,600
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NC Councilor Total Compensation
North Carolina City/County
Council Member Current Annual
Stipend
Council Member Annual Expense
Allowance
Council Member Annual Auto Allowance
Council Member Annual Technology
Allowance
Council Member Total
Compensation
Charlotte - NEW $32,638 $9,795 $4,776 $5,235 $52,444
Mecklenburg County $29,894 $9,233 $4,501 $4,935 $48,563
Charlotte - CURRENT $21,015 $5,800 $4,000 $3,100 $33,915
Durham County $25,417 $ ‐ $3,300 $2,100 $30,817
Wake County $24,315 $ ‐ $3,000 $300 $27,615
Durham $24,879 $ ‐ $2,400 $ ‐ $27,279
Winston‐Salem $18,220 $5,100 $3,900 $ ‐ $27,220
Forsyth County $27,012 $ ‐ $ ‐ IPad/Cell phone $27,012
Greensboro $23,377 $ ‐ $3,000 $ ‐ $26,377
Cary $11,493 $ ‐ $9,626 $2,460 $23,579
Guilford County $20,700 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $20,700
Raleigh - CURRENT $18,021 $ - $1,200 $504 $19,725
Fayetteville $17,779 $ ‐ $ ‐ $1,112 $18,891
New Hanover County $17,890 $ ‐ $ ‐ $900 $18,790
Wilmington $11,592 $ ‐ $4,200 $2,400 $18,192
Asheville $17,525 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $17,525
High Point $10,800 $3,600 $ ‐ $ ‐ $14,400
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METHODOLOGY
• Reviewed NC and National “peer” cities
• Benchmarked against top three NC jurisdictions
• Established target annual stipend
• Adjusted expense allowances
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Stipend: $36,511
Expense Allowance: $6,000
Car Allowance: $2,400
Technology Allowance: $1,000
Total Compensation: $45,911
Mayor Total Compensation Proposed
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NC Mayoral Total Compensation
North Carolina City/County
Mayor/Chair Current Annual
Stipend
Mayor/Chair Annual Expense
Allowance
Mayor/Chair Annual Auto
Allowance
Mayor/Chair Annual Technology
Allowance
Mayor/Chair Total Compensation
Charlotte - NEW $39,646 $9,795 $5,192 $5,235 $59,868
Mecklenburg County $37,370 $9,233 $4,893 $4,935 $56,431
Raleigh - PROPOSED $36,511 $6,000 $2,400 $1,000 $45,911
Charlotte - CURRENT $27,196 $10,000 $4,800 $3,100 $45,096
Winston‐Salem $23,400 $8,400 $3,900 $ ‐ $35,700
Durham County $29,920 $ ‐ $3,300 $2,100 $35,320
Greensboro $30,475 $ ‐ $4,200 $ ‐ $34,675
Fayetteville $32,518 $ ‐ $ ‐ $1,112 $33,630
Wake County $28,517 $ ‐ $3,000 $300 $31,817
Durham $29,289 $ ‐ $2,400 $ ‐ $31,689
New Hanover County $26,074 $ ‐ $3,640 $900 $30,614
Raleigh - CURRENT $24,550 $1,200 $1,800 $ - $27,550
Cary $13,754 $ ‐ $10,590 $2,460 $26,804
Forsyth County $25,560 $ ‐ $ ‐ IPad/Cell phone $25,560
Guilford County $23,400 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $23,400
Asheville $22,898 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $22,898
Wilmington $15,228 $ ‐ $4,200 $2,400 $21,828
High Point $14,400 $4,200 $ ‐ $ ‐ $18,600
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Stipend: $29,848
Expense Allowance: $4,000
Car Allowance: $2,400
Technology Allowance: $1,000
Total Compensation: $37,248
Councilor Total Compensation Proposed
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NC Councilor Total Compensation
North Carolina City/County
Council Member Current Annual
Stipend
Council Member Annual Expense
Allowance
Council Member Annual Auto Allowance
Council Member Annual Technology
Allowance
Council Member Total
Compensation
Charlotte – NEW $32,638 $9,795 $4,776 $5,235 $52,444
Mecklenburg County $29,894 $9,233 $4,501 $4,935 $48,563
Raleigh - PROPOSED $29,848 $4,000 $2,400 $1,000 $37,248
Charlotte - CURRENT $21,015 $5,800 $4,000 $3,100 $33,915
Durham County $25,417 $ ‐ $3,300 $2,100 $30,817
Wake County $24,315 $ ‐ $3,000 $300 $27,615
Durham $24,879 $ ‐ $2,400 $ ‐ $27,279
Winston‐Salem $18,220 $5,100 $3,900 $ ‐ $27,220
Forsyth County $27,012 $ ‐ $ ‐ IPad/Cell phone $27,012
Greensboro $23,377 $ ‐ $3,000 $ ‐ $26,377
Cary $11,493 $ ‐ $9,626 $2,460 $23,579
Guilford County $20,700 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $20,700
Raleigh - CURRENT $18,021 $ - $1,200 $504 $19,725
Fayetteville $17,779 $ ‐ $ ‐ $1,112 $18,891
New Hanover County $17,890 $ ‐ $ ‐ $900 $18,790
Wilmington $11,592 $ ‐ $4,200 $2,400 $18,192
Asheville $17,525 $ ‐ $ ‐ $ ‐ $17,525
High Point $10,800 $3,600 $ ‐ $ ‐ $14,400
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Move Elections to Even Years
• Voter turnout increases substantially when local elections
are held on even years compared to those held on odd
years
• High turnout does not equate to an informed electorate
• Enhanced voter engagement is necessary
RECOMMENDATION #4
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Develop & Implement Voter Engagement Program
• Reallocate savings from shifting elections to even years to fund
voter engagement
• Include voter engagement within City’s DEI & community
engagement strategy
• Direct City Manager to assign responsibility for voter
engagement strategy to specific department for accountability
• Develop/locate voter resource guide on prominent landing page
on City’s web site with cross-references throughout City’s
website & related electronic communications.
RECOMMENDATION #5
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RECOMMENDATION #5 (cont.)
• Create distribution process for using GovDelivery for non-partisan
voter information tied to deadlines & important dates for local
elections (indirect benefit-more traffic to City’s website)
• Add voter engagement to City’s social media platforms by
creating a Twitter handle for Raleigh voter information
• Use GovDelivery & other City communication channels to “cross-
pollinate” social media channels
Develop & Implement Voter Engagement Program
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RECOMMENDATION #5 (cont.)
• Develop & distribute a voter guide modeled on statewide judicial
races per N.C. Gen. Stat. 163-278.69
• Distribution should include the U.S. Postal Service & appropriate
electronic channels
• Promote & continue free bus service on Election Day
• Enhance interactive Council District map with information like
polling places & other information tied to voter addresses
Develop & Implement Voter Engagement Program
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RECOMMENDATION #5 (cont.)
• Include link to interactive map on City’s new voter information
landing page
• Use City newsletters to provide voter information to residents
• Newsletters increase chances of reaching residents lacking
Internet service
Develop & Implement Voter Engagement Program
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RECOMMENDATION #5 (cont.)
• Consider using Raleigh Community TV for candidate forums & to
otherwise inform citizens about elections
• Using Raleigh Community TV may also reach citizens that do
not have Internet access
• PSA campaign in coordination with community groups & local
businesses to encourage citizens to register and vote
Develop & Implement Voter Engagement Program
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Increase Council to 9 by Adding 1 District Seat
• No clear national approach to council size
• Odd number avoids deadlocks & facilitates efficient policy
development
• Minimizes impact on City Manager
• 9 falls between the average size of the NC peer cities (7.9
members) & national peer cities (10.4 members)
• District Councilor has lower financial barrier to entry, so more
likely to attract diverse, non-traditional candidates
RECOMMENDATION #6
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Questions?
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Thank you!