VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach residents are grappling with one of the most complex ballot decisions in the city's history as they choose between two different systems for electing City Council members.

The referendum asks voters to decide between a "10-1" system, where each neighborhood would elect its own council member plus one mayor chosen citywide, or keeping the current modified "7-3-1" system with seven neighborhood representatives, three citywide seats, and the mayor.

"A lot of the marketing and branding around how you should vote is also very confusing," said Melissa Lukeson, a Virginia Beach voter who has been following campaign signs around her neighborhood.

The choice represents the culmination of nearly a decade of legal battles that began when residents filed a feder

See Full Page