Special districts: district-based elections: reapportionment.

Existing law provides for political subdivisions, including special districts, 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 by or from districts formed within the political subdivision (district-based) . Under existing law, the manner of election of a governing body of a special district is generally specified in the statutes creating the district. If a political subdivision changes from an at-large method of election to a district-based election, existing law generally requires the political subdivision to submit to the voters an ordinance or resolution providing for the election of members of the governing body by district. This bill would authorize a governing body of a special district, as defined, to require, by resolution, that the members of its governing body be elected using district-based elections without being required to submit the resolution to the voters for approval. This bill would require the resolution to include a declaration that the change in the method of election is being made in furtherance of the purposes of the California Voting Rights Act of 2001.