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THE CITY OF 1 0 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT pL£ASANTON January 18, 2022 City Manager City Attorney TITLE: RECEIVE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY REGARDING BOUNDARIES AND COMPOSITION OF DISTRICTS TO BE ESTABLISHED FOR CITY COUNCILMEMBER DISTRICT-BASED ELECTIONS PURSUANT TO ELECTIONS CODE SECTION 10010 AND PROVIDE INITIAL DIRECTION TO DEMOGRAPHER ON COMPOSITION OF DRAFT MAPS 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 can remain elected at- large even under a district-based election system. On September 21 , 2021 , the City Council adopted a resolution of intention to transition from at-large to district-based elections in conformance with the California Voting Rights Act of 2001. The office of Mayor would remain elected at-large. Pursuant to Elections Code section 10010, the City is required to hold at least two public hearings over a period of no more than 30 days before any map or maps of the boundaries for the proposed voting districts are drawn. At these public hearings, the community is invited to provide input regarding boundaries and district composition. On January 4, 2022, the City Council held the first of these public hearings. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended the City Council hold the second public hearing to receive community input regarding the boundaries and composition of districts to be established for district-based elections for City Councilmembers and provide initial direction to the demographer on composition of draft maps. FINANCIAL STATEMENT The costs to implement the procedures to transition from an at-large to a district-based election system will include approximately $50,000 for outside legal counsel and a demographer. There will also be potential attorneys' fees to prospective plaintiffs that are limited to not more than $30,000 (plus an annual adjustment for inflation).