Transition to Division-Based Elections
In 2002, the Legislature enacted the California Voting Rights Act (“CVRA”) (Elec. Code §§14025 – 14032), which prohibits California public agencies, like the Oceano Community Services District (the “District,”) from imposing or applying an at-large election method “that impairs the ability of a protected class to elect candidates of its choice or its ability to influence the outcome of an election” (Elec. Code §14027). A protected class is defined by the CVRA as “a class of voters who are members of a race, color, or language minority group, as this class is referenced and defined in the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965”. In a lawsuit brought pursuant to the CVRA, a plaintiff who establishes a history of “racially polarized voting” under a public agency’s at-large election system can require it to change to a district-based election system and the District would be liable for the plaintiff’s legal fees up to $30,000 adjusted for inflation.
It became apparent that some in the community were asserting racially-polarized voting in the District and might be preparing to file a lawsuit. On September 9, 2020, the Board of Directors of the District proactively adopted a resolution outlining its intention to transition from at-large to division-based elections to limit the District’s liability for potential plaintiff legal fees . (For a copy of the resolution – click here.)
The community’s input in the development of the voting divisions is very important to this process. The District will hold two public hearings before maps are developed to get community input on where division boundaries should be drawn. Draft maps will be developed from these public hearings. These public hearings are scheduled to be held on June 9, 2021 and June 23, 2021 at 6:00pm at the District offices. Two additional public hearings will be held to present and take comment on the draft map or maps. These public hearings are scheduled to be held on March 9, 2022 and March 23, 2022 at 6:00pm at the District offices.
What it is: The CVRA seeks to ensure that every community has an opportunity to elect the candidate(s) of their choice in local elections.
Does this only impact the District? No, public agencies throughout California have faced challenges to their at-large elections, including the City of Grover Beach and the City of Arroyo Grande.
How will the change to By-Division elections affect me? Voters will only vote for one board candidate who resides in the electoral division in which you live. The current board members will continue in office until the expiration of their terms and until their successors are elected and qualified.
General Facts about By-Division Elections:
- Each geographic area of the District area will be represented by one board member.
- By-Division elections do not change the District’s overall boundaries.
- The District will be divided into five geographically defined divisions that are approximately equal in population.
- A professional demographer was contracted to assist in dividing the District accordingly.
March 23, 2022: The Oceano CSD Board of Directors adopted Plan 202 Map and resolution implementing new electoral division boundaries.
Plan 202 Map.pdf
•03232022 Agenda Item 9A – Public Hearing on Board Selected Focus Maps
•03232022 Agenda Item 9B – Public Hearing Adoption of a Resolution
View Your District – Interactive Review Map
Below are the draft maps submitted by 5:00 p.m., February 25, 2022. The District continues to encourage residents to offer comments by attending a meeting or submitting public comments to carey@oceanocsd.org.
Click on the link for a printable version of each proposed map. The most detailed way to view each draft map is by using the interactive review map tool.
Posted to the website on March 2, 2022.
The following publicly-submitted division maps are not population balanced:
Plan 101 Map.pdfPlan 102A Map.pdfPlan 102B Map.pdfPlan 102C Map.pdfIf you drew a DistrictR map using unofficial population estimates (if your map in the Public Gallery says “from blocks”), you will need to draw a new map using the official population data to ensure that your map is population balanced. If you try to edit your original DistrictR map, it will still be using the estimated data; you must start a new drawing by clicking the purple button “built out of 2020 blocks.” Then, when your new map is saved to the Public Gallery, it will say “from 2020 blocks.
Online Mapping Tool – Oceano CSD
Oceano CSD Participation Kit Map English 2021-2022
Oceano CSD Participation Kit Map Supplement English 2021-2022
Oceano CSD Participation Kit Excel English 2021-2022
Downloads
06092021 Agenda Item 9A – By District Elections
06092021 Agenda Item 9A – NDC Presentation
06232021 Agenda Item 7A – Hearing Creation of a District Based Election System
06232021 Public Hearing Notice (English & Spanish)
03092022 and 03232022: Notice of Public Hearing – CVRA (California Voting Rights Act)
Si dibujó un mapa DistrictR utilizando estimaciones de población no oficiales (si su mapa en la Galería pública dice “de bloques”), deberá dibujar un nuevo mapa utilizando los datos de población oficiales para asegurarse de que su mapa tenga una población equilibrada. Si intenta editar su mapa DistrictR original, seguirá utilizando los datos estimados; debe comenzar un nuevo dibujo haciendo clic en el botón morado “construido a partir de bloques 2020”. Luego, cuando su nuevo mapa se guarde en la Galería pública, dirá “desde 2020 bloques”.
Online Mapping Tool – Oceano CSD
Oceano CSD Participation Kit Map Spanish 2021-2022
Oceano CSD Participation Kit Map Supplement Spanish 2021-2022
Oceano CSD Participation Kit Excel Spanish 2021-2022
Descargars – Español
06092021 Agenda Item 9A – By District Elections
06092021 Agenda Item 9A – NDC Presentation
06232021 Agenda Item 7A – Hearing Creation of a District Based Election System