Changes to public power elections advance
A bill that would change election provisions for certain public power districts advanced from general file April 10.
LB646, introduced by Gretna Sen. John Murante, would change election subdivisions and terms of public power district board members in a service area containing a city of the metropolitan class. Omaha currently is the only metropolitan class city in Nebraska.
Murante said the bill is necessary to encourage greater diversity in city leadership. Omaha has a large minority population, he said, and is a very segregated city.
“When we elect leadership at-large, minorities have a very difficult time being elected to leadership positions,” Murante said. “It has never happened in the history of the Omaha Public Power District.”
A Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee amendment, adopted 32-0, replaced the bill.
As amended, LB646 would divide into eight election subdivisions the board of directors of a public power district with a service area containing a city of the metropolitan class by Dec. 1.
The boundaries of the existing election subdivisions in which one member resides would be preserved and the board would divide the remaining existing subdivisions in which more than one member resides into the same number of election subdivisions as there are members residing in such subdivisions.
All of the subdivisions would be composed of substantially equal population and compact and contiguous territory.
In addition, the board would assign each board member to represent a numbered election subdivision for the remainder of the term of office for which the member was elected.
The terms of members representing election subdivisions numbered 1, 2 and 3 would expire in January 2015. The terms of members representing subdivisions 4 and 5 would expire in January 2017, and the terms of members representing subdivisions 6, 7 and 8 would expire in January 2019.
After each federal decennial census, the board of directors would create new boundaries for the eight election subdivisions.
Murante offered an amendment to the committee amendment, adopted 29-0, which made the bill’s provisions permissive rather than mandatory and delays the implementation date to Jan. 1, 2014.
As a result of extensive negotiations, the Omaha Public Power District already has begun the process of transitioning to district elections, he said, and board members have assured stakeholders that they will comply with the intent of the bill.
Senators voted 30-0 to advance the bill to select file.
