ORD 2236 - Laserfiche WebLink

ORDINANCE NO. 2236 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PLEASANTON ADOPTING DISTRICT ELECTIONS FOR CITY COUNCILMEMBERS, ESTABLISHING DISTRICT BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS, AND AMENDING CHAPTER 2.04 OF TITLE 2 OF THE PLEASANTON MUNICIPAL CODE WHEREAS, the City of Pleasanton currently elects its Councilmembers using an at-large election system. In an at-large election system, candidates may live in any part of the City and each Councilmember is elected by voters of the entire City; WHEREAS, on August 5, 2021, the City received a letter from attorney Kevin Shenkman on behalf of Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, asserting the City's at-large councilmember election system violates the California Voting Rights Act ("CVRA") and threatening litigation if the City does not voluntarily change to a district-based election system for electing Councilmembers. WHEREAS, in a district-based election system, a candidate for City Council must live in the district which he or she wishes to represent, and only the voters of that district are entitled to vote to decide who their representative will be; WHEREAS, the City denies that its at-large councilmember electoral system violates the CVRA or any other provision of law and asserts the City's election system is legal in all respects and further denies any wrongdoing in connection with the manner in which it has conducted its City Council elections. Despite the foregoing, the City Council determined that the purposes of the CVRA and the public interest would be best served by transitioning to a district-based election system and avoiding the risks and costs of defending against a CVRA lawsuit; WHEREAS, under the provisions of California Elections Code Section 10010, a city that changes from an at-large city council method of election to a district-based city council method of election must hold a total of four public hearings, which includes at least two public hearings regarding potential voting district boundaries prior to the release and consideration of any draft voting district maps, and at least two public hearings following the release of draft voting district maps. WHEREAS, at a regular meeting of the City Council held on September 21, 2021, the City Council adopted a resolution that initiated the process of establishing a district-based election system and adopting the public hearing schedule; WHEREAS, upon the adoption of that resolution, Mr. Shenkman, on behalf of his clients, agreed to an extension of time by which the City could convert to districts, to and including March 17, 2022; WHEREAS, pursuant to Elections Code Section 10010, on January 4, 2022 and January 18, 2022, the City Council held public hearings to consider input from the public on the composition of the Council districts and criteria for determining district boundaries. The City Council considered all oral and written information, testimony, and comments received during the public review process. On January 18, 2022, the City Council directed its demographer to develop at least three map options;