We've had some discussion of "closeness to the representatives." I'd like to add a personal anecdote:
Last November (2002) I discovered a minor identity theft on my credit report. The identity theft had occured more than 4 years earlier, but the statute of limitations in California was 3 years, according to the Sheriff's detective. It was too late to do anything legally, except add another report to the suspect's dossier. I wrote to my Assembly member, and suggested that she extend the statute of limitations. She introduced a bill to do that, and I opened my newspaper this morning (7/23/2003) to see that her bill passed unanimously and was signed by the governor on Monday night. In the article she cited my letter as the reason why she introduced the bill. From now on, the statute of limitations will be 3 years from the time the identity theft is discovered, not 3 years from the time it occurs. I'm pleased by this outcome, and I'm glad our legislative districts are small enough that an ordinary person can get the attention of a legislator. I don't mind huge constituencies in one house of a bicameral legislature, but I hope we always have one house with smaller constituencies. Whether those small constituencies are single-member of multi-member (or even geographic vs. virtual) is immaterial to me, access is what matters. Anyway, I'm just happy that democracy occasionally works the way it's supposed to. I didn't receive or ask for any pork, I just asked for better protection from theft, and I got it with one letter. Good elections aren't the only essential ingredient in a healthy democracy. Alex ---- Election-methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info
