At a workshop this week, the Jacksonville City Council discussed NC House Bill 1038, which would eliminate the ward system for and require all members to be elected at-large, following continued concerns over voter engagement and population imbalances between wards.
The council discussed several previous lawsuits, one in 1989 and another in 2022, claiming the ward system was discriminatory and there were communities that were not being represented. The city prevailed on those suits and the system was found to be fair and provided equal representation for people of color.
Jerome Willingham, who represents Ward 1, said the city council wasn’t included in any conversation before the bill was introduced. “We're supposed to acquiesce with House Bill 1038,” he said, “Which imposes on us colonial style, because we didn't ask for it, as far as I know.”
Willingham and Ward 2 representative Mickey Smith discussed claims that the current ward system results in uneven voter turnout, with some wards having far fewer votes cast than others.
Smith asked, “When did these two wards be considered the minority ward?”
“They're not minority wards,” Willingham replied.
She said, “I know. But I think that's...”
“People can label them that way because they choose to label them that way because the result is that we've gotten blacks elected,” Willingham said.
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Mike Yaniero, who holds an at-large seat, hopes to open the discussion to local voters and to hear from the lawmakers who presented the bill.
He said, “I want to hear from community members. Having the opportunity to have public comment, I think it's important.”
Supporters argue the change ensures fairness and equal representation due to skewed voter turnout.
Critics, including the Onslow County NAACP, fear the change could increase apathy, reduce minority representation, and ignore historical context where, they argue, the ward system provided fair representation.
The bill is currently under consideration, with potential implementation for the 2027 municipal elections.
