WHY DISTRICT ELECTIONS?

The city received a certified letter from the law firm of Shenkman & Hughes on July 17, 2017 claiming the city is violating the California Voting Rights Act (Elec. Code §§ 14025-14032) because Council members are elected at-large rather than by districts. Dozens of local government agencies in California have faced similar challenges in recent years.

_{WHAT ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN ?}

At the City Council meeting on Tuesday, August 29, 2017, the Council adopted a Resolution of Intention No. RES-2017-173, taking advantage of a legal protection that enables cities to have a say in district boundaries and avoid costly litigation.

This protection applies only to cities that pass a resolution within 45 days of receiving a demand letter alleging a violation of the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). The resolution must indicate the city’s intent to move to district elections. Read the staff report and supporting documentation for the meeting where the City Council voted to move to district elections. 

The Council’s resolution set forth a schedule of public hearings in connection with the drawing of the electoral districts. The first of those public hearings took place on October 3, 2017. The remaining public hearings were postponed due to the impacts of the wildfires that swept into the City beginning October 8, 2017. 

On February 6, 2018, the City has resumed proceedings to transition to district-based Council member elections. A total of six public hearings have been scheduled between February and April. All Public Hearings will be held at City Hall in the Council Chamber at 100 Santa Rosa Avenue at 5:00 P.M. or as soon thereafter. Please view the dates listed in the table below with document links as presented at each public hearing.

On April 17, 2018, the City Council has adopted the final district-based map and established the sequence of district elections by Ordinance ORD-2018-007. 

_{COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT}

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT YOUR MAP WAS DUE MARCH 30, 2018 BY 5:00 P.M.  Thank you to all the residents that submitted maps.  You can continue to use these tools to propose revisions to the various initial draft maps. However, by State Law, maps to be considered by the Council at Public Hearings must be posted online and available at City Hall one week before the hearing adopting the final map.  

NDC has reviewed all posted draft maps for population balancing, ensuring that they are contiguous, and not in violation of the Federal or California Voting Rights Act.  All maps submitted are NOW posted online and may be viewed on the Interactive Review Map or in PDF format.

On Tuesday, March 13, 2018, the City Council held its third public hearing providing the public an opportunity to respond to draft maps and make recommendations regarding the proposed district boundaries and the potential sequence of elections.  At that meeting, the City Council narrowed its selection from twenty-eight (28) draft maps to six (6). You may submit your comments in reference to the draft maps and/or provide an alternative draft map to [email protected] no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 30, 2018.

Quicklinks:

• Final District Map and Established Sequence of Elections

• Ordinance ORD-2018-007 (Adopted April 17, 2018)

• Create a district map here (Last Day to Submit was March 30, 2018) 

• Review submitted draft maps here 

• Review submitted public input here

• View downtown map here

_{2018 (RENEWED) SCHEDULE OF DATES AND MEETING INFORMATION}