Time for countywide voting

Now is the time to insist that our county leadership honor the wishes of the majority of the citizens of this great county and institute countywide voting.

Back in the 60's, voting districts played a useful and important role because they helped guarantee that African-Americans would have fair and equal representation in their local government.

We are now in the 21^st century. A new era where more than two thirds of all Florida counties now have countywide voting and where African-Americans are serving in elected positions in greater numbers.

Under countywide voting, a county commissioner or school board member is required to live within the district he or she represents, but every citizen of the county would have equal representation on the commission or school board because every voter will have a voice in all five commission and school board seats. This means that your county leadership would have to think of what's best for the entire county, when making decisions that affect the entire county.

A little over two years ago 69 percent of the county voters supported countywide voting in a non-binding referendum. However, our county leadership refuses to honor the wishes of the people.

The Franklin County Voters' Countywide Voting PAC, Inc., wants to readdress this issue with a binding referendum on November's ballot.

If you want fair representation for every Franklin County voter, then make your voice heard by signing our petition to place countywide voting on the ballot in this year's fall election.

We need 750 signatures but we are shooting for 1,000.

To sign, you must be a registered voter. The deadline IS July 31.

A copy of the petition is available at Dolores Sweet Shop in the Hayes House one block off US 98.

For more information, call Cora Russ at (850) 370-5074 or Christie Banks at (850) 653-2512.

Yours for equal representation,

Van W. Johnson, Sr., Chair

Franklin County Voters' Countywide Voting PAC, Inc.