districts are progressive because you can run in a district of 88,000 people based on doorbelling and grass roots politics! but in the at large system, our council candidates have to run in a humongous district of 620,000 people -- about the size of a state like vermont, or wyoming, almost the size of a congressional district -- and that means they focus on dialing the high dollar donors. Not going door to door reaching out to real voters.

Check out the SEEC pie charts on donations. Most are from downtown and a funney Seattle neighborhood called "Outside of Seattle." And most are the big dollar donors.

Districts are the best, and cheapest, campaing finance reform possible. When san francisco went to districts, they elected an electrician! districts are grass roots and open the door of opportunity to all. This is why progressive groups like the local democratic party groups (37th district democrats, 32d district democrats, 11th district democrats and 46th district democrats) are supporting the seattle districts now signature gathering effort so we the people can vote on this charter amendment this fall.

oh by the way -- those groups in the 37th and 11th legislative districts would be where minority strength exists inside SEattle, although of course we in seattle have a proud history of electing people of color even in at large voting. Norm Rice. The point of the 7 districts though is to open the door so that whoever you are, you don't have to cozy up to Big Dollar Donors as the prerequisite for being viable.