District-Based Elections

Provide Feedback on District-based Elections

 

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. 

During the transition to a districts-based elections system, the Council must not just decide on a final district map but must also decide between the following options:

  • Four districts-based Council seats with a Mayor elected at-large; or
  • Five districts-based Council seats with a rotating Mayor chosen from among the five Councilmember

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. 

 

Upcoming Meetings

  • Public Hearing #2 | Saturday, July 13, at 10 AM in the Grant Park Multipurpose Room

Past Meetings and Key Documents

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

May 28, 2024 - Regular City Council Meeting

April 18, 2024 – Letter from Shenkman & Hughes

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. 

During the transition to a districts-based elections system, the Council must not just decide on a final district map but must also decide between the following options:

  • Four districts-based Council seats with a Mayor elected at-large; or
  • Five districts-based Council seats with a rotating Mayor chosen from among the five Councilmember

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
What is a “Community of Interest”?

A "Community of Interest" is a population that shares common social or economic interests that should be included within a single district for purposes of its effective and fair representation

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
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
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