District-based municipal elections.

Existing law provides for political subdivisions that encompass areas of representation within the state. With respect to these areas, public officials are generally elected by all of the voters of the political subdivision (at-large) or from districts formed within the political subdivision (district-based) . Existing law, the California Voting Rights Act of 2001, prohibits an at-large method of election to be imposed or applied in a manner that impairs the ability of a protected class to elect candidates of its choice or its ability to influence the outcome of an election, as a result of the dilution or the abridgment of the rights of voters who are members of a protected class, as defined. Existing law authorizes the legislative body of a city to submit to voters at any municipal or special election an ordinance providing for the election of members of the legislative body by districts, from districts, by districts with an elective mayor, or from districts with an elective mayor. Under existing law, "by district" means election of members of the legislative body by voters of the district alone and "from district" means election of members of the legislative body who are residents of the district from which they are elected by the voters of the entire city. Existing law prescribes the procedures for the electors to change from the election of these members by district to election from districts or vice versa. This bill would permit the legislative body of a city to provide by ordinance, without submitting the ordinance to the voters of the city for approval, for the election of members of the legislative body by district if the voters of the city previously rejected such an ordinance, as specified. This provision would be repealed on December 31, 2016. The bill would, commencing January 1, 2017, require the legislative body of a city with a population of 100,000 or more, as determined by the most recent federal decennial census, to provide by ordinance, without submitting the ordinance to the voters of the city for approval, for the election of members of the legislative body by district. The bill would, commencing January 1, 2017, permit the legislative body of any other city to provide by ordinance, without submitting the ordinance to the voters of the city for approval, for the election of members of the legislative body by district. The bill would require that the boundary lines of each district be adjusted in accordance with specified provisions of law. By requiring cities to conduct elections for members of their legislative bodies in a specified manner, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions. This bill would specify that its provisions become operative on July 1, 2015.