The city of Wildomar has decided moving to districts is their only option to avoid a lawsuit.  A public hearing will be held tonight at Wildomar City Hall to allow residents to ask questions and to learn more about the impact this may have to the community. 

City Attorney Thomas Jex reported the City Council has decided in a closed session on January, 13 to immediately take all steps necessary to commence the process for establishing five single-member districts for future city council elections. 

The council took this action after receiving a letter on December 21, 2015 containing allegations the city’s current at-large election system violates the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). 

“It is another hurdle. We have had to endure a lot since we became a city,” said Mayor Bridgette Moore, “But we will overcome this.” 

The city council decided to move to district elections to avoid spending tax dollars in the defense of what they call a meritless but potentially extremely expensive law suit, even if the city was victorious. 

“This lawsuit had such potential to bankrupt the city,” said Moore in defense of the city’s decision. 

The plan going forward is to implement the new districts in time to be used for the city council elections in November 2016.

The city currently uses an at-large method of election in which all voters vote for all candidates for city council.

In the single-member district system, a “by-district system” under California law, a candidate must live in the district he or she wishes to represent and is elected only by the voters in that district. The council will take advantage of a new law, California Government Code section 34886, enacted by the California Legislature last year that permits city councils of small cities to change to district elections by ordinance. 

The city’s five electoral districts will be formulated in accordance with federal and state law requirements. State law also requires an open and public process, including a minimum of three public hearings.

Responding to council direction, the city manager and city attorney have retained Marguerite Leoni from Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Gross and Leoni LLP to guide the city through the electoral district establishment process. This process is also supported by Douglas Johnson of National Demographics Corporation.

Johnson is a demographer who will assist in developing the schedule for hearings, council actions and other necessary steps for the council to consider in the preparation of an ordinance pursuant to Government Code 34886(a) requiring members of the city council be elected “by-district”. 

Due to the urgency of this process, the city has entered into separate contracts of less than $50,000 with Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Gross and Leoni LLF and with National Demographics Corporation for Electoral District Establishment services. 

The money used will be pulled from the general fund.