ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 10, 1996 TAG: 9605100080
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAN CASEY STAFF WRITER
POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS hinder the business of Roanoke City Council, one member says, and he wants races to be nonpartisan.
With city elections over and apparent agreement by everyone on the new council to support a referendum on modified wards, you may have thought controversy over Roanoke's election system was over for a while.
Not so fast.
There's a new proposal on the table that would remove political parties from city elections altogether. It will be the subject of a public hearing before City Council Monday at 7 p.m.
Departing Councilman Mac McCadden believes residents are tired of battles between Democrats and Republicans, especially when council plays little role in day-to-day operations.
"I'm trying to prove there's no need to have political affiliations or partisanship on council under a city-manager form of government," McCadden said.
Nonpartisan elections are nothing new in Virginia. The charters of Portsmouth and Richmond effectively require them, and nonpartisan elections are a custom in Salem.
Although most council candidates in Roanoke are nominated by a party, their political affiliation is not noted on ballots. Independents can get on the ballot through a petition process.
McCadden's proposal grew out of a rare partisan battle on City Council last year over the replacement of Vice Mayor John Edwards.
For months after Edwards' election to the state Senate, the three remaining Democrats and three Republicans were deadlocked over who would replace him. Democrats wanted Nelson Harris; Republicans suggested some prominent former GOP council members.
When none of the Republicans would accept Harris, council compromised on Wendell Butler, a local dentist and Democrat who had served previously on council and the School Board.
McCadden cited the replacement battle as an example of how, at times, partisan bickering alienates council members from each other.
Another example he cited was Mayor David Bowers election-eve news conference denouncing a flyer distributed in black communities endorsing GOP mayoral contender J. Patrick "Pat" Green. The mayor blamed Republicans despite the leaflet's endorsement of two Democrats seeking council seats.
McCadden says he's also troubled when he hears voters say things like, "I've never voted for a Democrat in my life and I'm never going to."
"What kind of a vote is that?" the councilman asked. "It's certainly not informed."
Judging from the sentiments of other council members, nonpartisan elections may be a tough sell. Councilwoman Linda Wyatt, a diehard Democrat, wants to keep political parties involved. Mayor David Bowers, who gleefully proclaimed "a Democratic clean sweep" after council election returns came in late Tuesday, is also leaning against it.
"We've always had two very active parties in this community," Bowers said. "But I'm open to hearing what citizens think on the issue."
Vice Mayor William White says he hasn't heard anyone besides McCadden calling for nonpartisan elections.
"I really didn't understand Mr. McCadden's motives at the time, and I'm still unclear about it," White said.
Councilman Jack Parrott, who will be the lone Republican on council after July 1, said he's also unlikely to support McCadden's proposal.
"I can see some advantages," Parrott said. "But I've already had two complaints since the election from people who were upset that there's no identification by party on the City Council ballot."
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CITY COUNCILby CNB