SEAFORD, Del. -- A proposed amendment to the city charter is now in the hands of state lawmakers. The voter roll in Seaford may be expanding, to include non-resident property owners and some businesses, but not without strict pushback.
The proposed amendment was pulled from the House agenda last week, but it's still up for discussion.
Civil liberties groups, ACLU and Common Cause Delaware, strongly oppose the amendment. Non-profit group Common Cause Delaware says the proposed amendment gives some business owners an upper hand over others.
"We're supposed to have a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, and that is not the case when you allow corporations and LLCs to vote," says executive director Claire Snyder-Hall.
Under the proposed charter amendment, owners of artificial entities would be allowed to designate someone to cast a vote on its behalf. However, it excludes business owners that lease commercial space. Seaford's Mayor David Genshaw says the line must be drawn somewhere.
"We think this is fair," says Genshaw. "We think this gives people who are investing a lot of money in our town, creating jobs in our town. In most cases these are local people right here that want an opportunity to vote."
Business owners who rent space like, Rose Pollard of The Open Cupboard LLC. says she'd like to see the amendment pass, but also have a voice in elections as a renter.
"There have been issues that my husband and I have talked about that 'Oh wow, well if we lived here we could vote on that but we can't'", says Pollard. "But especially with the progression of things in Seaford, it'd be nice to have a say."
Mayor Genshaw says he's optimistic the amendment will pass once additional changes are made. Meanwhile, Common Cause Delaware says they will continue to oppose it.
