A group of Detroit political activists announced Wednesday they are trying to collect signatures to get an initiative on the Nov. 3 ballot in Detroit to change how the city council is elected.

Detroiters for City Council by Districts said it has gathered more than 10,000 signatures toward its goal of 31,400 before Aug. 4. If the measure is approved for this year’s general election in Detroit, it would ask voters whether they want to elect members from geographically defined districts instead of the city at-large as they currently are chosen. Seven members would be elected from districts that they would have to reside in and two would be elected at-large. If voters approve of the initiative, the new council system would be implemented in 2013, after the next council’s term expires.

 

All city council members and the mayor are up for election this November when the initiative will be on the ballot.

As the Michigan Messenger reported last month, interim Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr. said during the March mayoral debate he could support election-by-district if it’s the “right district plan,” but what ultimately determines good representation is who people elect. Cockrel’s opponent, businessman Dave Bing, said he fully supports council elections by district.

Detroiters for City Council by Districts said it wants to change the decades-old system of electing council not because of one particular council member, but because the means of electing them is dysfunctional.

“The vast majority of Detroit citizens would much rather see their Council member up close and personal, working in the community, bringing the attention and the aid of city departments and city services to bear on the serious problems faced by each and every neighborhood-some more than others,” said the Unifying Detroit Coalition’s Ron Hewitt of the residency requirement for council members.

Detroiters for City Council by Districts will train volunteers on Tuesday, Apr. 14. Signature petitions can be picked up or dropped off during the business week from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at The League of Women Voters Office located at 1420 Washington Blvd. in Detroit For more information visit the groups’ website.