HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-05-30; City Council; Resolution 2017-097RESOLUTION NO. 2017-097
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD,
CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING LINE DRAWING CRITERIA FOR ADJUSTING
COUNCIL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES
Exhibit 4
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Carlsbad {"City") was elected under an "at large"
election system whereby Councilmembers were elected by voters of the entire City; and
WHEREAS, the City Council is considering a change to the "by district" elections whereby
each Councilmember must reside within the designated district boundary and is elected only by
voters of that district; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Voting Rights Act {42 U.S.C. Section 1973) prohibits the use of any
voting qualification, or prerequisite to voting, or standard practice or procedure in a manner
which results in a denial or abridgement of the right of any citizen of the United States to vote
on account of race or color; and
WHEREAS, federal law and the equal protection clause require that each district be equal
in population to ensure compliance with the "one person, one vote" rule; however, deviations
approximating five to ten percent may pass muster under the equal protection clause where
required to meet an official criteria; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has instructed its demographer and city staff to develop draft
maps that fully comply with legal requirements and intends to provide official criteria for any
needed deviations.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Carlsbad
does hereby adopt the following criteria to guide the establishment of districts for council
elections:
1. Each Council District shall contain a nearly equal number of inhabitants; and
2. Council District borders shall be drawn in a manner that complies with the Federal
Voting Rights Act; and
3. Council districts shall consist of contiguous territory in as compact form as possible;
and
4. Council districts shall respect communities of interest as much as possible; and
5. Council district borders shall follow visible natural and man-made geographical and
topographical features as much as possible; and
6. District borders shall respect the previous choices of voters by avoiding the creation
of head-to-head contests between Council members previously elected by the voters,
insofar as this does not conflict with Federal or State Law.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a Special Meeting ofthe City Council ofthe City of
Carlsbad on the 30th day of May, 2017, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: M. Hall, K. Blackburn, M. Schumacher, C. Schumacher, M. Packard.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
(SEAL)
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