District Elections FAQ

Approximately 200 cities, school districts and other local agencies in California have faced similar challenges in recent years. To date, no city has successfully defended a California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) lawsuit. This statistic could change as there are cities currently in litigation over the CVRA.

Other cities have voluntarily or been forced to adopt changes from at large to district elections. While some cities have settled claims out of court by agreeing to shift to district elections, others have defended at-large elections through the court system, have lost and have incurred significant legal costs because the CVRA gives plaintiffs the right to recover attorney fees and a judge draws the districts rather than the City During the September 24 City Council meeting, the City Council unanimously voted in favor of adopting a resolution expressing the intent to establish and implement by-district elections for City Council Members based on the threat of litigation and the high cost (millions of dollars) of defending against  California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) lawsuit.

Between October 22 and March 2019, the City Council will conduct numerous Public Hearings and community meetings to receive community feedback on the proposed composition of districts and the elections sequence. Two public hearings will be held on October 22, 2018 and November 19, 2018 where the public is invited to provide input regarding the composition of the districts. The deadline for the public to submit maps they wish to have included in the community meeting presentations will be on January 3. Three community meetings will be held on January 15, 2019 in different regions of the City including 11:00 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Senior Center, Fair Oaks Community Center at 5 p.m. and Downtown Library, Community Room at 7 p.m. Another three Public Hearings will happen in February and March to further discuss the district map composition and the elections sequencing. All of these public hearings and community forums are open to the public, and the City welcomes everyone who wishes to participate in the transition to by district elections to either share input at upcoming meetings or by emailing the City at districtelections@redwoodcity.org. To view a schedule of the Public Hearings, Community Forums, City Council Meetings, and to download a district election map toolkit, go here.

Redwood City Council currently appoints one of its Council Members as mayor for a 2-year term on a rolling basis.

The City Council may opt to retain a seven-member City Council but change the structure to have one Citywide elected Mayor and six by-district-elected City Council Members. This could also be an opportunity for the City to change the number of Council Members if it so desires. California General Law cities can have five, seven or nine Council Members (or a citywide elected Mayor and four, six or eight Council Members). As a charter city, Redwood City could select one of those options or its own alternative. Such a change would need to be approved by the voters as part of the proposed March 2020 charter revision, but the direction would preferably be given now to focus the districting process on that revised number of districts.

Determining how to draw the districts is part of the process of implementing a district-based election system. The map of districts can be drawn using any number of considerations. Before drawing a draft map or maps of the proposed boundaries of the districts, the City Council will hold two public hearings on October 22 and November 19, at which the public is invited to provide input regarding the composition of the districts. The City Council may opt to retain a seven-member City Council but change the structure to have one Citywide elected Mayor and six by-district-elected City Council Members. This could also be an opportunity for the City to change the number of Council Members, if it so desires. California General Law cities can have five, seven or nine Council Members (or a citywide elected Mayor and four, six or eight Council Members) Such a change may need to be approved by the voters as part of the proposed March 2020 charter revision, but the direction would preferably be given now to focus the redistricting process on that revised number of districts.

Voting districts are reviewed every 10 years, following the release of updated U.S. Census figures. The next time districts will be reviewed after the initial drawing will be 2021.

Beginning in 2020, voters will only be able to vote for one City Council candidate who resides in the electoral district in which you live.

The current City Councilmembers will continue in office until the expiration of their terms and until their successors are elected and qualified. The first district elections will be held in the November 2020 General Election.

Under the guidance of the demographer and resident input at Public Hearings and community meetings, the City Council will vote to approve a specific map by March 31, 2019, followed by a consideration of registered voters on a Charter revision during the statewide primary in March 2020, if necessary.

Many factors may be considered, but population equality is the most important. Other factors include:

1. Topography: rivers, creeks, and other natural barriers, boundaries or landmarks
2. Geography: major streets and neighborhood blocks
3. Cohesiveness, contiguity, integrity and compactness of the area
4. Communities of interest: Neighborhood Associations, established neighborhoods, commercial/business districts, school enrollment, common issues or concerns, voting precincts or other types of divisions

The California Elections Code authorizes the City Council to solicit applications from interested parties that reside within the district. The applicants would be considered and finalists would be interviewed by the City Council. A nominee would be appointed to serve on the City Council to represent the district in question. If this situation were to occur specific details, deadlines, and the application process would be vetted and approved by the City Council. The Council can also call for a special election. 

The City of Redwood City currently elects its seven City Council members “at large”, meaning each registered voter in the City has the opportunity to vote for all open City Council seats in an election.

Under a district-based election system, the City is separated into geographic sections (districts). Voters within said district will vote only for candidates residing within the same district; voters will not vote for candidates outside of their own district.

The districting process timeline is prescribed by the California Election Code 10010.

The City Council approved timeline includes five required public hearings. The City must complete the transition process within 90 days after the adoption of the initial resolution to cap the prospective plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees at $30,000.  Additionally, a prospective plaintiff may not bring a CVRA lawsuit within 90 days after passage of the resolution and Mr. Shenkman and the City mutually agreed to extend that safe harbor to March 31, 2019. This allows the City to retain its own ability to determine and adopt an appropriate district map instead of having the risk of a court doing so. In order to receive the “safe harbor” protection of AB 350, the City has 90 days from September 24, 2018 to adopt an ordinance transitioning to district-based election for City Council Members. The City Council approved transition to by-district elections schedule envisions City Council adoption of an election district map and election sequence on or before March 31, 2018, with scheduled public hearings, community meetings and other opportunities to gain community input in advance of this date. Once an election district map and election sequence are approved by the City Council, other steps include voter consideration of a Charter revision during the statewide primary in March 2020, followed by the first by-district City Council election in November 2020.

The City Council approved transition to by-district elections schedule envisions City Council adoption of an election district map and election sequence on or before March 31, 2019, with scheduled public hearings, community meetings and other opportunities to gain community input in advance of this date. Once an election district map and election sequence are approved by the City Council, other steps include voter consideration of a Charter revision during the statewide primary in March 2020, followed by the first by-district City Council election in November 2020.

In September 2018, the City Council approved a process to engage the community and gain input on the by-district election sequence and district map development. The City has hired a professional demographer to help create proposed district boundaries. Beginning October 22, 2018, the community will have access to ‘public mapping tool kits’ to provide feedback on how districts could be drawn. The City’s hired demographer will draft proposed maps that ensure compliance with the Federal Voting Rights Act and the California Voting Rights Act requirements. The approved transition schedule envisions City Council adoption of an election sequence and district map on or before March 31, 2019; followed by a vote of registered voters on a Charter revision during the statewide primary in March 2020, if necessary. The first by-district City Council election would be held in November 2020.

On August 8, 2018, the City received a letter from Kevin Shenkman of the law firm Shenkman & Hughes asserting that the City’s at-large council member electoral system violates the California Voting Rights Act.

During the September 24 City Council meeting, the City Council unanimously voted in favor of adopting a resolution expressing the intent to establish and implement by-district elections for City Council Members based on the threat of litigation and the high cost (millions of dollars) of defending against  California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) lawsuit.