Pleasanton is the latest Bay Area city to shift from at-large voting to a district-based system for electing City council members. The move comes in response to a potential lawsuit that called the city’s current voting process "racially polarized" and in violation of the California Voting Rights Act.
Under the new system, city council members will represent a single geographic district. Only voters living in each district may vote in the election for their representative. Additionally, council members must live in the district they represent.
This week, the city held its first public hearing on proposed district boundaries.
City officials are split on how effective the shift may be. According to Councilmember Valerie Arkin, Pleasanton’s racial and ethnic minority communities are dispersed across the city unlike other cities with high-density, segregated neighborhoods.
Still, others say the historic lack of Latino and Asian council members in Pleasanton reflects ongoing issues in the voting process. Fremont, San Mateo, and Vallejo are other Bay Area cities that have recently switched to district-based voting.
The city is expected to finalize a district map and begin scheduling elections by the end of next month. Residents may weigh in at additional meetings for public comment on January 18th and February 3rd.
