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THE CITY OF 19 -'••r' i CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT pL£ASANTON. September 21, 2021 City Manager City Attorney TITLE: ADOPT A RESOLUTION DECLARING THE CITY OF PLEASANTON'S INTENT TO TRANSITION FROM AN AT-LARGE ELECTION SYSTEM TO A DISTRICT-BASED ELECTION SYSTEM SUMMARY The City of Pleasanton currently utilizes an at-large election system, whereby electors from the entire city choose each of the four Councilmembers and the Mayor. A district-based election system is one where the city is divided into separate districts, each with one councilmember who resides in the district and who is just chosen by the electors residing in that particular district. The office of Mayor remains elected at-large even under a district-based election system. The City received a letter on August 5, 2021, from attorney Kevin Shenkman asserting that the City's at-large electoral system violates the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 ("CVRA") (Attachment 1). Mr. Shenkman's letter claims that polarized voting may be occurring in the city and threatens litigation absent the City's voluntary conversion to district-based elections for Councilmembers. The City Council met in closed session on September 7, 2021, and directed staff to move forward with drafting the resolution of intention to transition from at-large to district-based elections for its consideration. RECOMMENDATION Adopt a resolution declaring the City's intent to transition from an at-large election system to a district-based election system. FINANCIAL STATEMENT The costs to implement the procedures to transition from an at-large to a district-based election system within the safe harbor time period provided by the CVRA will include approximately $50,000 for outside legal counsel and a demographer. There will also be potential attorneys' fees to Mr. Shenkman that are limited to not more than $30,000 (plus an annual adjustment for inflation) if the City meets the CVRA time limits. Those expenses are not included in the FY 2021/22 budget and will therefore be included in the FY 2021/22 mid-year budget.