Should Someone At Least Win Their Own District?

Newport Beach votes for their City Councilmembers in Districts.

If you are running for City Council in District 2. You need to live in District 2.

You represent District 2. You are called District 2's City Councilmember.

But the entire City gets to vote for you.

So while you are associated with being District 2's Representative, you are voted at large.

But...

You should at least represent your District and your District should want you as their Representative right?

Interestingly enough...

District 2's Councilman Steve Rosansky didn't win his own District in the 2008 election.

Out of the 3049 people living, or registered to vote, in District 2 who voted for the City Council race -

• Steve Rosansky got 1481 votes - 48.5%
  
• Gloria Alkire got 1568 votes - 51.5%

Rosansky also lost District 1 to a larger margin (43.8% to 56.2%), but overwhelmingly won the rest of the City.

District 2 also had the lowest voter turnout as compared to the rest of the City too, bringing out only 51.4% while Citywide, Newport Beach had 58.5% come out to vote.

What does this mean?

The people who know Steve Rosansky best (his neighbors) didn't want him as their City Council Representative, while the people who don't live or work next to him do...

In case you are curious...

In the District 7 race between Incumbent Keith Curry and Challenger Dolores Otting, as voted by District 7

• Keith Curry had 2827 votes 59%
  
• Dolores Otting had 1939 votes 41%

District 7 got the Councilmember that they wanted.