What are voting districts?

California in recent decades have pushed localities to move from at-large elections, to voting districts. By creating districts, it enables voters to have representation from politicians who live in their area. 

Ideally local politicians initiate this change on their own. Sometimes cities have to be pushed to follow the law.

All too often in at-large elections, an entire city council is from just one corner of town. In most cases a wealthier area, with high home ownership and low crime rates. 

This leads to safety issues and quality of life concerns addressed differently across town. Even with the best intentions, politicians take action on what they see. A street adjourning the Mayor's house may get new speed humps when cars drive too fast. When on the other side of town potholes will fester for months, or promised street lights never get installed. 

This is why neighborhood elections are important. When done right, all residents can be represented by someone who lives in their area. Instead of the council being comprised of who can fundraise from developers, districts elect officials who will be much more likely to send their kids to the same school as their constituents and use the same parks. 

In Covina, we see almost all of our politicians coming from the Charter Oak area. So while the east end of town gets perfectly paved roads and timed traffic lights, it is on the other size of town that experience Police checkpoints, red light cameras, and speed traps. 

On September 7th 2021, Covina was notified its at-large elections were in violation of the California Voting Rights Act. A notification that should have started the city on the path of good faith action to correct the violation.

The city used closed sessions and rescheduled meetings to hide the violation as long as possible. Running the clock 45 days before adopting a resolution on October 21st to start the process of districting, less than 24 hours before the legal deadline. This important council meeting was only announced with a days notice, and the agenda was not disclosed publicly before hand. This deception of the residents meant the meeting was only attended by one member of the public, and even the most involved residents would not learn of what was happening until November. Months after the initial letter was received. The majority of residents are only now learning of this change. 

The city could of used that time to set up a citizens commission or feedback groups. The Council instead deployed obfuscation and delay. Once the process did start, the city complained over the expedited time table and did not provide adequate tools to the public. 

Despite these obstacles and lack of notice, more than 30 maps were submitted by the public in just a couple of weeks. Of those, more than two dozen met the legal requirements. Despite the outpouring of public participation, the council decided to pay a contractor tens of thousands of dollars to generate a map that would protect their seats. Not only costing taxpayers, but breaking up Covina neighborhoods. 

The final map does not meet the legal requirement of being compact. Ignoring this, the City Council allowed itself to make the final decision against the best interest of the city. Choosing a politically gerrymandered map to protect their political seats and maintain the status quo.

It is important that residents get involved and come out to the City Council meetings. Held on every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. The more people the politicians know are watching, the better. It is perceived complacency the council thrives on for their under handed tactics. 

While re-districting has to be done every 10 years, the current maps are too much of an injustice to leave until 2032.  The process can be completed more frequently, and is required to be revised if significant population is added to the city. The unincorporated islands within the city are illegal (and have a racist history), these should be added to the city immediately. Triggering a new districting round. 

You can also join me in calling for the resignation of every City Council Member who voted for these gerrymandered maps. Remind our politicians they are public servants, and that cheaters never prosper.