[EL] equal numbers of VOTERS, rather than residents

[David A. Holtzman]

Hello Again [EL],

I just noticed that the "equal numbers of voters" provision can only go 
into effect when the city population exceeds 100,000 and the number of 
districts goes from four to six.So it's probably not ripe for challenge.

For now, "The City Council may change the boundaries of the four 
districts into which the City is divided by ordinance adopted by at 
least four affirmative votes whenever, in the opinion of the City 
Council, such is necessary to better equalize the *population* among the 
respective districts."Compton Charter, Sec. 502.(The City Council has 
five members, four elected from districts plus the Mayor.)

It may be of interest that when the number of districts goes from four 
to six, an incumbent protection provision will govern the drawing of the 
new districts.They must be drawn so "that each Councilman then in office 
will reside within the district bearing the number of the district from 
which he was elected and District 5 and District 6 shall not include the 
residence of any of the members of the Council. . . ."Compton Charter, 
Sec. 500.

-dh



On 5/17/2011 12:13 AM, David A. Holtzman wrote:
>
> **Hello [EL],
>
> The LA Times printed an op-ed yesterday blaming the at-large election 
> method used in Compton, California, for keeping Latinos off an 
> all-black city council.
>
> http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-0516-newton-column-compton-20110516,0,828852.column 
>
>
> Compton's is a strange election method, to be sure: council members 
> are elected FROM districts."FROM districts" means that each winner 
> must live in a particular district, while the voting is at-large.As 
> the op-ed writer (a Times editor) noted, that "means all voters can 
> vote in all races."This is different from "BY" districts, which means 
> that voters only vote in contests to represent the districts they live in.
>
> This is almost as bad as a having a legislature consisting of 
> "numbered seats" -- where every individual office is elected 
> at-large.At least electing from districts guarantees some geographic 
> diversity of residence.
>
> Anyway, *I had a look at the Compton City Charter, and one thing stood 
> out: the districts must be drawn to have nearly-equal numbers of 
> VOTERS, rather than residents.Is that legal?*
>
> (Districts "shall comprise as nearly as practicable equal numbers of 
> voters as determined by records of the registration of voters of Los 
> Angeles County on file with the Registrar of Voters of said County . . 
> . ."Charter of the City of Compton, Sec. 500.)
>
> - David Holtzman, President
> LWV of Los Angeles
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> David A. Holtzman, M.P.H., J.D.
> david at holtzmanlaw.com
>
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-- 
David A. Holtzman, M.P.H., J.D.
david at holtzmanlaw.com

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