Broward’s Blacks, Hispanics Poised For Greater Political Influence
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Too many Broward County city commissions remain overwhelmingly White.
Not for long.
With more minorities registering to vote, change is coming to city halls.
Take Sunrise.
It has:
- 23,084 White voters
- 16,281 Black voters
- 13,474 Hispanic voters
How long can Sunrise continue to have an all-White commission?
Or Plantation.
It has:
- 35,306 White voters
- 10,571 Black voters
- 9,393 Hispanic voters
Yet the Plantation City Commission and mayor are White.
Or North Lauderdale.
It has:
- 11,085 Black voters
- 3,928 White Voters
- 3,403 Hispanic Voters
The mayor and three of the four commissioners are white.
Fair?
Or Pembroke Pines
It has:
- 38,993 Hispanic voters
- 37,113 White voters
- 19,008 Black voters
The mayor and three of the four commissioners are non-Hispanic Whites.
Or Weston
It has:
- 19,003 White voters
- 14,747 Hispanic voters
- 1,755 Black voters
Three of the four commissioners and the mayor are non-Hispanic Whites.
Part of the problem in these Broward cities is districting. In some cities, districting originally was designed to prevent condominiums from controlling City Hall. Today the same districting serves to keep minorities off the city commission.
Another problem is turnout.
Whites still vote in greater numbers than minorities, but that is shifting. Blacks already vote in some elections in greater numbers than low income Whites.
Having commissioners who represent all the demographics of a city is important.
Whites can be good representatives of Blacks and Hispanics residents. Yet humans are tribal animals.
Humans are hard wired to connect with folks who are similar. Similarities might include alike backgrounds, values (which include party registration), upbringing or ethnicity.
That’s why ethnic campaign appeals work. Folks are more comfortable being represented by people who look like them.
The impact of the growing Broward voter base of minorities cannot be overestimated.
Well-run countywide campaigns already understand this. Blacks are roughly half the registered Democratic voters in Broward. That statistic has been noticed by Team Hillary, which is putting a major effort into getting a big turnout among Blacks.
Broward’s political world will look like this in the near future:
Old power centers will die off. Jewish voters in condominiums and the campaigns designed around them are already outmoded and will be laid to rest.
Replacing condominiums will be Black and Hispanic churches, minority business groups and minority neighborhood leaders. These leadership groups will get more emphasis than condominiums in future winning campaigns.
The changes in politics will result in more minorities being elected. With them will come more minority appointees in city halls. Then more minority city staff, minority managers and finally, minority lobbyists.
With more minority office holders handing out contracts, expect more minority businesses to thrive.
Its the classic American story.
Newcomers’ votes create opportunity which creates money and success.
It happened to the Irish. It happened to the Italians, the Jews, the Vietnamese and so many other ethic groups. It now it will happen to Broward’s Blacks and Hispanics.
It all starts at the ballot box. All they have to do is vote….early and often.
September 14th, 2016 at 5:17 pm
No need to worry.
For they do NOT vote!
September 15th, 2016 at 9:18 am
The black vote is why we have Forman’s wife as the next clerk of the courts.
September 15th, 2016 at 9:21 am
Change is coming to Sunrise. Right now Mayor Ryan thinks Irish is a minority. Construction near the sawgrass mall which is being advertised to Latins will change that.
September 15th, 2016 at 12:54 pm
Great article……Please provide info on Coral Springs. Thanks
September 15th, 2016 at 1:34 pm
Buddy,
Great article because something needs to be mentioned is the lack of diversity that has been on the Tamarac city commission.
Tamarac is 29% Black, 25% Hispanic, and believe it or not, the average age is 45, yet for years, we have had an all-white, mostly 65+ year old commission. Hardly representative of our residents, and out-of-touch with our young families with children.
In 2014, Mike Gelin ran against Harry Dressler for Mayor, but was defeated, mainly by the voters in Kings Point who soon regretted it as Dressler wasn’t straightforward with them about a charter school project being built on public park lands across from their community.
Another African American is running for City Commission District 1 which is on the east side of the city and he needs support. His name is Marlon Bolton and he has some great ideas for the area. Please check him out here. He brings in youth, enthusiasm hopefully, our commission will be more in tune with our changing city. Candidate Seeks Improvement on East Side of City
Sharon Baron
September 15th, 2016 at 3:40 pm
I don’t understand why it is unfair that white are elected. race has nothing to do with it and the point of this article presumes all the white people are elected by white people and that everyone votes based on race. that my friend is a racist mentality to believe that the racial makeup of a voter predetermines their vote for a candidate.
this has got to be one of the most offensive pieces you have written on this site. I hope the sun-sentinel publishes this racist mindset from your article in one of its blogs so everyone knows
September 15th, 2016 at 10:01 pm
Where is the liberalism or the political correctness in the responses to this article?
It seems people really do think whites have to be represented by whites, Hispanics by Hispanics, blacks by blacks, and to continue, LGBTs by LGBTs, old by old, young by young……..
Most communities need a fair tax base, safety, and a decent quality of life backed by building codes and enforcement. Where is skin color or gender involved in those decisions?
People should not be treated as items to be filed in categories.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:12 am
#2 Or could it be that Mitch Ceasar left over $42,208 in his bank account and refused to spend it!
“Clerk of the Circuit Court Mitchell ‘Mitch’ Ceasar ( Active-Defeated)
DEM
Contributions: $260,045.21 Expenditures: $217,836.63 ”
Mitch better spend that $42K on a hell of a party for his financial contributors!
September 16th, 2016 at 5:48 pm
… Hispanic voters help Democrats in Central Florida but not in South Florida.
Hispanics voting in Texas have not changed right wing control of most of Texas.