BACKGROUND:
Prior to the November 2022 election, City Councilmembers were elected at-large in which every voter in the City voted for each member of Council, regardless of where the voter or the candidate is registered to vote in the City. Under a district-based system of elections, the City is divided into districts, candidates may only run for the seat representing the district in which they are registered to vote, and voters may only vote for a candidate from their district. One of the reasons for the transition is that district elections are consistent with the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA), which encourages district elections for communities with a significant population of minority groups.
Between September 21, 2021, and February 1, 2022, the City Council held five public hearings to establish a District-Based System of Elections for members of the City Council. On February 1, 2022, City Council adopted an Ordinance adding Sections 2-9.04, 2-9.05, and 2-9.06 to Chapter 2, Title 9 of the Yuba City Municipal Code to establish a District-Based System of Elections for members of the City Council.
Since the adoption of the current boundary maps, there have been significant annexations in the southwest and southern portions of Yuba City, adjacent to Council Districts 4 and 5. The annexed areas are currently primarily vacant agricultural land. The Council District Boundary Maps need to be modified to incorporate the annexed areas and be adopted prior to April 2024.
Process for Annexed Property:
The City Council typically chooses where the district lines will be drawn every 10 years based on the latest U.S. Census and the requirements of State law. Between these regular 10-year updates changes to district boundaries are typically not allowed under the State Elections Code. However, there is an exception for circumstance here, as new territory has been annexed into the City and the total annexed territory contains less than 25% of the City's population. In such cases the City Council may update the district boundaries to allow for the new members of the community to vote in City elections, etc.
State laws set strict criteria for the updates of the district boundaries when the total annexed territory contains less than 25% of the City’s population. Specifically the City Council is required to add the new territory "to the nearest existing Council district without changing the boundaries of other Council district boundaries."
Even though the criteria for setting the boundaries for annexed property is constrained by State law, the default procedures for redistricting boundaries still apply. Under these procedures the public will have the opportunity to draw and submit district maps for Council's consideration, and the City may develop its own maps for consideration. By law, the City must hold at least five public hearings that enable community members to provide input on the drawing of district maps:
- Two Public Hearings will be held to invite public input regarding the composition of the City's voting districts before any draft maps are drawn. These hearings were held November 7, 2023, and December 19, 2023.
- Three Public Hearings will be held to invite public input regarding the composition of the City's proposed modifications to the voting districts after the draft maps are drawn. These hearings are currently scheduled for January 16, February 6 and 20, 2024.
- After the Public Hearings, the City Council will introduce an ordinance establishing a map with the modified voting division boundaries scheduled for February 20, 2024, and the ordinance will then be presented for final adoption on March 5, 2024.
Mandatory Criteria
While public input concerning the composition of the City's voting divisions will be considered, as noted above there are several mandatory criteria that the City must comply with when the actual divisions are created:
- Any annexed property must be added to the nearest existing Council district; and
- No other changes to existing Council districts can occur.
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