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District-Based Elections
Overview
Up to and including the November 2018 election, the citizens of Moorpark elected its Mayor and four City Councilmembers through an at-large election system. Candidates for the Mayor and City Council could reside anywhere within the City limits, and the candidates with the most votes across the City won the election. If two City Council seats were open, then the top two vote-getters would be elected to the City Council.
On August 29, 2018, the City received a letter from Kevin I. Shenkman, alleging that the City’s at-large election system was racially polarized, resulting in minority vote dilution in violation of the California Voting Rights Act, and threatened the City with litigation if the City did not switch to a district-based election system. Under a district-based system, the City would be broken into districts, with each district electing to the City Council an individual residing within its boundaries.
At a City Council meeting on October 11, 2018, the City Council voted 5-0 to begin the process of changing the City’s at-large election system to a district-based election system. On April 3, 2019, the City Council adopted an ordinance completing the City’s transition to a district-based election system, to be effective beginning for the November 2020 election.
- View Final District Map PDF (Can zoom in closer than the image below)
Timeline of Events
The timeline to transition from an at-large election system to a district-based election system is provided below. All meetings and public hearings will take place at Moorpark City Hall, Apricot Room, 799 Moorpark Avenue. Spanish language translators will be present at all meetings. You may also download a printer-friendly timeline as a PDF in English or a PDF in Spanish.
ACTION | DATE |
| Letter Asserting Violation of CVRA, Dated August 27, 2018, Received | August 29, 2018 |
Open Session Discussion Item • Staff Report• Watch Video | October 3, 2018 |
| Consider Adoption of Resolution of Intent to Transition from At-Large to District-Based Elections • Staff Report • Watch Video | October 11, 2018 |
| First Public Hearing on District Composition (Pre-Map Drawing) (Not a City Council meeting) • Notice of Public Hearing • Watch Video | November 13, 2018 6:30 p.m. |
| Second Public Hearing on District Composition (Pre-Map Drawing) (Not a City Council meeting) • Notice of Public Hearing • Watch Video | December 12, 2018 6:30 p.m. |
| Draft Map(s) and Sequencing Released to Public • View the January 16, 2019 Map Packet • View the January 18, 2019 Map Packet Supplement | No Later Than January 16, 2019 |
| First Public Hearing on District Maps and Sequencing (City Council meeting) • Notice of Public Hearing • Watch Video • Powerpoint Presentation to City Council with Sequencing Information | January 23, 2019 6:30 p.m. |
| Revised Map(s) and New Draft Maps and Sequencing Released to Public • View the January 30, 2019 Map Packet Supplement (Please also view the January 16 Packet and January 18 Supplement) | No Later Than January 30, 2019 |
| Second Public Hearing on District Maps and Sequencing (City Council meeting) • Notice of Public Hearing • Watch Video • Staff Report (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) • View the three maps selected for further review at the February 6 meeting | February 6, 2019 6:30 p.m. |
| Third Public Hearing on District Maps and Sequencing, Introduction of Ordinance (City Council meeting) • Notice of Continued Open Public Hearing • Staff Report (Including Maps and Analyses) • Watch Video | February 21, 2019 6:30 p.m. |
| Public Hearing on Adoption of Ordinance (Was Not Adopted) (City Council meeting) • Notice of Public Hearing • Staff Reports (See items 8B and 9A) • Watch Video | March 6, 2019 6:30 p.m. |
| Fifth Public Hearing on District Maps and Sequencing, Introduction of Ordinance (City Council meeting) • Notice of Public Hearing • Staff Report (Includes Map 401b under consideration) • Watch Video | March 20, 2019 6:30 p.m. |
| Final Public Hearing and Adoption of Ordinance (Regular City Council meeting) • Notice of Public Hearing • Staff Report • Watch Video • Ordinance No. 467 | April 3, 2019 6:30 p.m. |
Resources
This website has been maintained to keep the public informed about the process of switching to District-Based Elections. The following resources are also made available on-line: