By JIM GENARO

For many supporters of a referendum on partisan elections, the issue comes down to one word: ìfairness.î
This was the message of several speakers at a Let Asheville Vote rally at City-County Plaza last Monday evening.

The eventís organizers called on supporters to sign petitions calling for a referendum that would ask voters whether they support changing the cityís election system to a partisan system.

The referendum push comes in the wake of Asheville City Councilís 4-3 vote on June 11 to change the cityís election rules so that political parties will hold primaries and independent or third-party candidates will need to gather about 2,250 signatures to get on the ballot.

Many speakers focused on the signature requirement, saying it creates an unfair challenge for indpendent candidates.

ìNever, ever, ever deny people of good heart that want to run for office the opportunity to do so,î Councilman Carl Mumpower, councilís lone Republican, urged the audience.

Mumpower, along with Councilman Jan Davis and Mayor Terry Bellamy, voted against the changes.

Mumpower said that if opponents of partisan elections are unable to get the 5,000 signatures needed in the next three weeks to force the referendum, voters would need to take their objections to the polls.

Councilmen Brownie Newman and Bryan Freeborn ó both of whom supported the changes ó are up for reelection this November, as is Davis.

ìI will do everything in my power to get one of those people removed,î Mumpower said of Newman and Freeborn.

When Newman initially proposed the changes to the cityís election system, one of his justifications for doing so was that it would help to better inform voters.

However, Mumpower argued that by identifying candidates solely with their political parties, voters are actually less informed.

ìWe hear a lot about ëGet out and vote,íî Mumpower said. ìIf youíre not informed and get out and vote, Iím not sure youíre doing your community a service.î

He also said that his opposition to partisan elections was not related to his standing as councilís sole Republican in a city where Democrats hold a significant majority.

If council was entirely composed of Republicans, Mumpower said, ìI would fight this just as hard as I am right now.î

Davis then spoke, noting that as a moderate Democrat with strong support among conservative voters, he has much to lose in the new system.

ìI guess it becomes a more personal issue for me,î he said.

Davis also took aim at his fellow Democrats on council, saying, ìFrankly, that wasnít what the Democratic party was built on.î

Former Councilman Joe Dunn noted that the council members who supported the change ó Newman, Freeborn, Vice Mayor Holly Jones and Councilwoman Robin Cape ó have all talked about the importance of diversity.

He charged that this was hypocritical given the harmful effect the changes are likely to have on the ability of independent candidates to get elected.

ìAre they afraid to run on their records without changing the rules?î he asked. ìEven if we agree that these four are good people, we have to judge them by what they have done, and what they have done is say ëYou donít count.íî

Selena Sullivan, a Republican candidate for council in the upcoming election, urged voters to stand up and oppose the changes.

ìWhen someone takes away your right to vote ... thatís not okay,î she said. ìDo not stand by and let this happen here to our community.î

Matt Mittan, a popular radio host on WWNC-AM 570, said the issue was about ìthe people of Asheville having fair and equal access to elections.î

He said that he has received more e-mails, phone calls and letters about the election issue than about any other issue except for the fight for federal relief following the 2004 floods.

The changes to voting rules disenfranchise Ashevilleís 15,000 registered independent voters, he said.
He also argued that the council members who supported the changes are unlikely to change their votes based on public opinion.

ìThe arrogance that allowed four peple to disenfranchise so many people ó theyíre not going to change their vote.î

However, he said that while turnout at the rally was small ó only about 40 people attended ó the concerted efforts of a few people can change history.

ìThe sons of liberty were 15 strong in a nation of a quarter million people and we look to them as our founding fathers,î Mittan told the audience.

Dave Gorey, a former Libertarian Party candidate for mayor and for council, said that while he does not specifically object to candidates being identified on ballots by their party affiliations, he considers the requirement of 2,250 signatures for independents and third-party candidates to be ìinsane.î

ìTo me, this is a ballot-access issue,î he said. ìThe thought of attaching these labels doesnít bother me.î

He noted that the average requirement in the U.S. for getting on a statewide ballot is 1,000 signatures. In Iraq, he added, only 500 signatures are needed to run in a national election.

ìI donít know how anybody can put those sets of numbers together and think itís anything but patently insaneî to require 2,250 signatures for muncipal elections, he said.

He added that smaller parties stand to suffer from the new rules. In the U.S., there are 97 registered political parties, he noted, though most people cannot name more than four.

ìThis is a problem,î Gorey said. ìThere are voices out there that are not being heard. If one voice is silenced, no one speaks freely. They have just silenced the voices of one-third of Asheville. Donít let them do it.î