Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Discussion
SUBJECT:
Title
INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 20-2008 ESTABLISHING BY-DISTRICT ELECTIONS FOR CITY COUNCIL
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I. SUMMARY
This item is on the agenda pursuant to Mayor Robles' request. The proposed ordinance would change Carson's elections for City Councilmembers from At-Large Elections to By-Districts Elections.
The new section adopts a district map for the City and establishes by-district elections for the four Councilmembers starting in November, 2020. All Councilmembers in office at the time the ordinance takes effect shall continue in office until the expiration of the at-large term to which they were elected.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Discuss and then consider for INTRODUCTION for first reading by title only and with further reading waived, Ordinance No. 20-2008, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Carson to change the Municipal Elections with respect to Councilmembers only from an At-Large Elections to By-District Elections by adding Section 2155 (By-District Elections) to Chapter 1.5 (General Municipal Elections) of Article II (Administration) of the Carson Municipal Code Establishing District Elections, Defining District Boundaries, and Scheduling District Elections.
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate, including introducing the above Ordinance as an Urgency Ordinance.
IV. BACKGROUND
A. CVRA Lawsuit and Court Hearing Set for July 29, 2020
On May 22, 2018, the City received a letter from Shenkman and Hughes, PC, ("Shenkman") demanding that the City Council elections transition from the current "at-large" method to "by-district" in order to conform to the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) of 2001.
The CVRA, at California Elections Code section 14027, states: "An at-large method of election may not be imposed or applied in a manner that impairs the ability of a protected class to elect candidates of its ...
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