District-Based Elections

Welcome to our City's District-Based Elections page. Here, you'll find all the details about the upcoming transition to district-based elections. 

Where We Are Now

On October 22, 2024, the City Council selected the final map for the transition to district-based elections. The Council also determined that representatives in Districts 2 and 4 will be elected in 2026. The final map is below:

How to Share Your Feedback

Residents are invited to review and provide feedback on each draft map by emailing input to districts@losaltosca.gov

Background

The California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) is intended to minimize racially polarized voting in City Council elections by moving agencies from at-large elections to voting districts. On April 18, 2024, the city of Los Altos received a Notice of Violation of the CVRA. The notice demands that the city of Los Altos immediately transition from the current at-large elections system to a district-based one. 

The transition to a district-based election system is an open, public process where public input is highly sought after and appreciated. California Elections Code Section 10010 mandates that five public hearings must be held throughout the transition process, but the City Council may choose to hold as many public community workshops as necessary to gather as much public input as possible within the time constraints for the overall project. The initial public hearings gather input from the community to better understand the distinct neighborhoods within Los Altos; this information is used to create the draft district maps that will be released in the following months. The deadline to approve the district maps is Thursday, October 31. 

Past Meetings & Key Documents

November 12, 2024 - Regular City Council Meeting - Adoption of final ordinance

October 22, 2024 - Regular City Council Meeting - Public Hearing #7

October 21, 2024 - Special City Council Meeting - Public Hearing #6

October 8, 2024 - Regular City Council Meeting - Public Hearing #5

September 24, 2024 - Regular City Council Meeting - Public Hearing #4

August 28, 2024 - Special City Council Meeting - Public Hearing #3

July 13, 2024 - Special City Council Meeting - Public Hearing #2

July 9, 2024 - Regular City Council Meeting

June 11, 2024 - Special City Council Meeting - Public Hearing #1

May 28, 2024 - Regular City Council Meeting

April 18, 2024 – Letter from Shenkman & Hughes

Draft Maps

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Background

On Thursday, April 18, 2024, the city of Los Altos received a Notice of Violation of the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) from Attorneys Shenkman & Hughes, based out of Malibu, California. The letter asserts that the City's current election system, which is an at-large elections system, is characterized by racially polarized voting. Racially polarized voting is when there is a difference in the choice of candidates or other electoral choices that are preferred by voters of a protected class, based on their ethnicity, rather than in the electoral choices that may be preferred by the voters in the rest of the electorate. The notice demands that the city of Los Altos immediately transition from the current at-large elections system to a districts-based one.

An "at-large" elections system is where each of the City's five elected Councilmembers are elected by registered voters throughout the entire City of Los Altos. A "districts-based" elections system would require the city to approve a map of Los Altos that separates the city into four or five designated districts, wherein one person from each district would run for an open seat on the City Council for that specific district, to serve a four-year term. In the current at-large system, the City Council has five members representing the entire City whereas with Districts, each Councilmember would represent the district in which they reside. Also, currently, the Council has a "Rotating Mayor" method, where a Mayor is selected each December by their peers to serve a one-year term. 

The transition to a districts-based elections system is an open, public process, where public input is highly sought after and appreciated. California Elections Code Section 10010 mandates that five public hearings must be held throughout the transition process, but the City Council may choose to hold as many public community workshops as necessary to gather as much public input as possible within the time constraints for the overall project. The City's outside counsel reached out to Mr. Shenkman to request more time than originally demanded to complete the transition process and Mr. Shenkman agreed to extend the City's deadline to transition by Thursday, October 31, 2024. 

Category: Districts-Based Elections
Why are we making the transition to district-based elections?

Once the City received the letter from Attorneys Shenkman & Hughes alleging a violation of the California Voting Right Act (CVRA), the City was forced to make a decision to proceed toward a district-based elections system, or to remain “at-large” and to face subsequent legal challenges from Mr. Shenkman.  To avoid potential high costs of attorney’s fees and other court-related penalties, the City chose to transition within the specified extension period to the district-based elections system. You can read more about the California Voting Rights Act here.

Category: Districts-Based Elections
What criteria will help the City Council understand the importance of your community in the districting process?

When documenting your community, it is important to address the following questions to assist the City Council in the line-drawing process:

  1. Does your community have a shared culture, characteristics, or bond?
  2. Is your community geographic in nature? Is your community able to be mapped? Is there density within your community? What data can you point the council to that helps identify this community on a map?
  3. How would you describe your community’s relationship with the City and how it is affected by policy decisions made by the City Council? Are there city policymaking or spending decisions that can benefit or harm your community in ways that are different than the general public.

The public can submit any testimony, but it is important to remember that your input can be best used if it addresses all three of these questions.

Category: Districts-Based Elections
What is a 'Community of Interest'?

A 'Community of Interest' is a group of people in the same geographically definable area who share common social and economic interests. Some examples of Communities of Interest are:

  • Senior citizens
  • LGBTQIA+ communities
  • Renters/Homeowners
  • People who live downtown or in a neighborhood
  • Dog park community
  • Residents who share a common language
  • People who use the same transportation systems
Category: Districts-Based Elections
What’s the difference between an “at-large” election system and a “districts-based” elections system?

In an at-large elections system, the City has five elected Councilmembers, who are elected by registered voters throughout all of the City.  Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms, and the Mayoral seat is rotated annually among the five Councilmembers.  In a “districts-based” elections system, the City will have district lines drawn, which would separate the City into specific districts, each with one Councilmember who resides within that district and who is elected only by registered voters residing in that particular district. The Councilmember would still be elected to a four-year term in either elections system.

Category: Districts-Based Elections
When will district-based elections go into effect?

The first District-based election will be held in November 2026. This transition will not affect the upcoming November 2024 City Council election.

Category: Districts-Based Elections
Under district-based elections, will all five City Council members be elected at the same time?

No, under district-based elections, three council members will be elected in one cycle, and the remaining two will be elected in the next cycle.

Category: Districts-Based Elections
Can individuals run for a district if they do not live within its boundaries?

No, representatives must live within the district they wish to represent. If they do not reside within the new district boundaries, they would be ineligible to run for that specific district.

Category: Districts-Based Elections
What happens if there is only one candidate or no candidates running for a City Council seat in a district?

If only one candidate runs, that individual will be considered elected to the City Council. If no candidates run for a seat in a district, the situation will be handled in the same way as a vacancy. This will be addressed according to the California Elections Code.

Category: Districts-Based Elections
What criteria will be used to decide which two districts will hold elections first?

State law does not specify the criteria for choosing which districts go first. If there is a district or community that is typically underrepresented, it may be prioritized. Otherwise, the decision will be made by the City Council.

Category: Districts-Based Elections
What is the is the deadline for completing the districting process?

State law requires an agency to complete the transition process within 90 days of receiving a notice of violation, however, the City’s attorneys were able to negotiate an extension to October 31, 2024.

Category: Districts-Based Elections
What is the deadline to submit input or thoughts on the process?

The City Council is scheduled to receive an update on the feedback received from the community at its September 24, 2024 meeting. They will then provide direction on which map to move forward with. The final map will be adopted on October 8, 2024. You are welcome to submit input at any time. 

Category: Districts-Based Elections
What should I do if I want to use the interactive maps but don’t have access or need help?

If you are interested in using the interactive maps but are having trouble with access or need assistance, you can reach out to City staff at districts@losaltosca.gov for help.

Category: Districts-Based Elections
The streets are hard to read on the draft maps. How can I see the details to design and submit my map? The printed maps don’t have street names on them. How can I see the maps with street names?

The City’s interactive mapping tool found on the City’s website has street names included on the map. You can zoom in on the map using the districting tool to see the streets and details more clearly, which will help you design and submit your map accurately.

Category: Districts-Based Elections
What was the process for drawing the draft maps?

The draft maps are based on maps submitted by members of the public through the City's online interactive mapping tool. The City's demographer reviewed the submissions and drafted maps based on those submissions and using the criteria described in State law.

Category: Districts-Based Elections
What criteria must the City consider when choosing a map?

State law outlines five criteria the City must following in selecting a final map. These criteria are listed in order of priority. If a map meets the lower priority criteria, but does not meet a higher priority criteria, the City cannot consider it. The five criteria are:

  • Districts are relatively equal in size – total deviation is under 10%. Size is determined by population as listed in the latest census.
  • Contiguous – election districts are one whole piece and don’t jump from one area of the City to another with gaps in between
  • Maintain “communities of interest”
  • Easily identifiable and understandable lines, following city, natural (rivers, mountains), and man-made boundaries (main thoroughfares, highways)
  • Keep election districts compact – election districts should be more circular or rectangular, and not snaking lines or ribbons
Category: Districts-Based Elections
Are district boundaries permanent?

No. The City is required to review and adjust the district lines following each census. We will next review the district maps in 2031 and make changes based on the data received in the census.

Category: Districts-Based Elections

Supporting Documents

PDF icon Public Comments received Set 1 (2 MB)
PDF icon Public Comments received Set 2 (1 MB)
  • Printer-friendly version