City Council:
John Gurney, Mayor
Patricia Farrar-Rivas, Vice
Mayor
Jack Ding
Sandra Lowe
Ron Wellander
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE SONOMA CITY COUNCIL
City Council Chambers, 177 First Street West
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83515822045
5:00 p.m. Special Meeting
****
AGENDA
Be Courteous - TURN OFF your cell phones and watches while the meeting is in session.
NOTICE: Mayor John Gurney has called the City Council into a Special Meeting to discuss only the matters stated on the agenda listed below.
PUBLIC COMMENT AT SPECIAL MEETING: Members of the public shall have the opportunity to address the City Council concerning any item listed on the agenda during consideration of that item, when the Mayor opens public comment. No other items may be discussed at this special meeting.
Page
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
2. PUBLIC HEARING
2.1: Presentation and Public Hearing Regarding City of Sonoma's Transition to ByDistrict Elections (David Guhin, City Manager and Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
RECOMMENDATION: Receive presentation / conduct the first public hearing.
Agenda Report - Public Hearing - By-District Elections - Pdf 2 - 29
3. ADJOURNMENT
I do hereby certify that a copy of the foregoing agenda was posted on the City Hall bulletin board as legally required. Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk/Executive Assistant. *********************************************************************************************************************************** Copies of all staff reports and documents subject to disclosure that relate to any item of business referred to on the agenda are normally available for public inspection the Wednesday before each regularly scheduled meeting at City Hall, located at No. 1 The Plaza, Sonoma CA. Any documents subject to disclosure that are provided to all, or a majority of all, of the members of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda after the agenda has been distributed will be made available for inspection at the City Clerk’s office, No. 1 The Plaza, Sonoma CA during regular business hours.
If you challenge the action of the City Council in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described on the agenda, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Clerk, at or prior to the public hearing.
APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEES: The Council may establish and make appointments to a Council committee (made up of two Council Members) with respect to any item appearing on this agenda.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk (707) 933-2216. Notification 48-hours before the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting.
City of Sonoma
Agenda Item Summary
Meeting: City Council - 18 Dec 2024
Department
Administration
Staff Contact
David Guhin, City Manager, Rebekah Barr,
MMC, City Clerk
Agenda Item Title
Presentation and Public Hearing Regarding City of Sonoma's Transition to By-District Elections
Summary
At its Special City Council meeting on December 4, 2024, the Sonoma City Council adopted Resolution #98-2024, to initiate the transition from an "at-large" election system—where all registered voters in the City vote for all Council Members, regardless of residence—to a "district-based" system. Under the new system, voters in each district will elect a Council Member who resides within that district. Although there is no evidence suggesting that Sonoma’s current election system violates the California Voting Rights Act or any other law, the City has chosen to transition voluntarily. This proactive approach aims to mitigate the potential risk of legal challenges, similar to those faced by other cities across California.
The resolution not only declared the City's intent to transition to by-district elections, it also included a tentative timeline and authorization to retain the services of a professional demographer to guide the City through the process. After review of three proposals, the City Manager has selected Redistricting Partners to fill this role.
The California Voting Rights Act sets a structure for public engagement which includes five public hearings: two conducted prior to line drawing, two more held for public input and changes after maps have been made public, and one final hearing for adoption of a map that has been made public for seven days prior to adoption. Redistricting Partners will work with the City of Sonoma in conducting these presentations, gathering and documenting public input, and utilizing these hearings as a means for determining initial criteria for draft maps and amending maps that have been produced.
The tentative timeline for these actions are as follows:
December 18, 2024 (5:00 PM): Special Meeting for the first public hearing on district composition and boundaries (City Council Chambers).
January 15, 2025: Second public hearing to gather feedback on district boundaries. February 11, 2025: Publication of draft district maps for public review, including the proposed sequence of elections.
February 19, 2025: Third public hearing to review the draft maps and discuss feedback.
March 3, 2025: Fourth public hearing for the City Council to select a preferred district map.
March 19, 2025: City Council adoption of the ordinance to implement district-based elections.
Agenda Item #2.1:
Recommended Council Action
Receive presentation and conduct the first public hearing.
Alternative Actions
Council discretion.
Financial Impact
There is no financial impact resulting from this action.
Environmental Review Status
Environmental Impact Report
Negative Declaration
Exempt
Not Applicable
Approved/Certified
No Action Required
Action Requested
Attachments
Districting 101 City of Sonoma
At Large Map
Alignment with Council Goals:
Not Applicable
Agenda Item #2.1:
12/13/2024
1 City of Sonoma
Districting 101
December 18, 2024
Agenda
Things we will cover: • The California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) • What is Districting/Redistricting • What is the Voting Rights Act • What is Gerrymandering • Required Districting/Redistricting Criteria • The Mechanics of Districting • Sonoma’s Census Data • Public Hearing Schedule 2
1 2
Agenda Item #2.1:
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2 What is the CVRA?
The California Voting Rights Act is a state law that
prohibits the use of At Large Election Systems in local government if there is Racially Polarized Voting.
“At Large” is defined as anything other than a system in which an elected official lives in a district and is only elected by members of that district. Does not include “multi-member” districts. “Racially Polarized Voting” is defined as differences in voting patterns which can be shown to be correlated to race, religion, national origin, or membership in any other protected class. 3 What is the CVRA? The California Voting Rights Act takes the principles of the Federal Voting Rights Act and expands it regarding
districted elections in two key ways:
While Federal law uses “majority minority” districts as a standard for vulnerability, the CVRA only requires “ability to influence.” The CVRA requires that plaintiffs get full reimbursement for legal fees associated with any successful challenge. 4
3 4
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3 What is the CVRA?
The California Voting Rights Act takes the principles of the Federal Voting Rights Act and expands it regarding
districted elections in two key ways:
While Federal law uses “majority minority” districts as a standard for vulnerability, the CVRA only requires “ability to influence.” The CVRA requires that plaintiffs get full reimbursement for legal fees associated with any successful challenge. These can be lessened or eliminated if the district follows a strict and prompt process for districting. 5 What is Districting
Definition
Districting is the initial process of creating election district boundaries.
These boundaries determine: • Eligibility to run for office – must live within boundaries to qualify for election. • Who votes in the election – only voters within the election district vote for their council member. 6
5 6
Agenda Item #2.1:
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4 What is Districting
Definition
Districting is the initial process of creating election district boundaries.
These boundaries do not determine: • How the district decides to govern. The district can still work to achieve goals that benefit the district as a whole rather than the interests of any single zone. • How services or relationships between the district and the public are managed. 7 What is Redistricting?
Redistricting is at its core the act of equalizing population among districts. After a city districts, this occurs every ten years following the release of the decennial US Census
datasets.
This is important in order to meet two requirements - one constitutional, one from Supreme Court precedent: - Equal Representation (14th Amendment) - how effective any resident can be at advocating for themselves or being represented within a jurisdiction. - One Person One Vote - equal ability to elect a candidate of choice.8 7 8
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5 What is the Voting Rights Act?
The Voting Rights Act is federal law that seeks to remedy racial disenfranchisement. It has two sections impacting redistricting:
Section 2 – Majority Minority Districts
Section 5 – Preclearance (inactive)
The California Voting Rights Act prohibits the use of At Large Election Systems in local government if there is
Racially Polarized Voting. 9 What is the Voting Rights Act? The Voting Rights Act Section 2 is enforced when a
jurisdiction meets certain preconditions:
1) A minority group must be sufficiently large and geographically compact to comprise a majority of the district;
2) The minority group must be politically cohesive (it must demonstrate a pattern of voting for the same candidates, also known as “bloc voting”); and,
3) A majority of voters vote sufficiently as a bloc usually to defeat the minority group’s preferred candidate. 10
9 10
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6 What is the Voting Rights Act?
Determining Section 2 obligation requires legal counsel and sometimes a racially polarized voting analysis.
- Does the minority population qualify under Section 2? - Is the proposed district a sufficient remedy – is it an “effective” majority minority district?
- Is there a claim for a coalition district?
- Without Section 2, a community of interest can still be supported but race cannot be a predominant factor in drawing lines. 11 What is Gerrymandering The Gerrymander
The term Gerrymander came
from a cartoon depicting a
rather serpentine looking district
created by Governor Elbridge Gerry
in Massachusetts. 12
11 12
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7 What is Gerrymandering
The Gerrymander
There are more recent
examples of gerrymandering,
even in California.
This 2001 Senate District is
a great example. 13 What is Gerrymandering
How does gerrymandering work?
14 13
14 Agenda Item #2.1:
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8 What is Gerrymandering
How does gerrymandering work?
15 What is Gerrymandering
How does gerrymandering work?
16 15
16 Agenda Item #2.1:
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9 What is Gerrymandering
Types of Gerrymanders
The two primary types of gerrymanders are
Partisan and Racial, but there are more.
Partisan Gerrymandering – current Supreme Court
has determined these non-justiciable but some state
and local laws have stepped in to ban them.
Racial Gerrymandering – courts have repeatedly
found these to be unlawful.
Incumbent Gerrymandering – common in any
redistricting conducted by the agency itself. 17 Required Redistricting Criteria There are a number of criteria that are required under the FAIR MAPS Act (ranked): • Relatively equal size - people, not citizens • Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
• Maintain “communities of interest”
• Easily identifiable and understandable lines,
following natural and man-made boundaries
• Keep districts compact – appearance/function
Traditional redistricting principles used throughout the country and written into state law
18 17
18 Agenda Item #2.1:
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10 Equal Population
Utilizing the US Census Decennial File
What is “equal” population has been a
key subject in districting litigation. • Population Equality is based on “People” not citizens or voters or
other metrics. • 10% deviation presumed equal.
Other agencies / states have
different plan deviation
requirements. 19 Required Redistricting Criteria
There are a number of criteria that are required under the FAIR MAPS Act (ranked): • Relatively equal size - people, not citizens • Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
• Maintain “communities of interest”
• Easily identifiable and understandable lines,
following natural and man-made boundaries
• Keep districts compact – appearance/function
Traditional redistricting principles used throughout the country and written into state law
20 19
20 Agenda Item #2.1:
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11 Contiguity
Two definitions for what is contiguous
Contiguity should be thought of as
“literal” and “functional.”
• An area that is one whole
piece is “literally contiguous.”
• An area that represents
how the population functions
or how people are connected
is “functionally contiguous.” 21 Contiguity
Determining what is “contiguous”
22 21
22 Agenda Item #2.1:
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12 Contiguity
Determining what is “contiguity”
Railroad tracks act as a barrier,
physically separating the city
with only three thoroughfares
between District 5 and the rest
of the city. 23 Required Redistricting Criteria
There are a number of criteria that are required under the FAIR MAPS Act (ranked): • Relatively equal size - people, not citizens • Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
• Maintain “communities of interest”
• Easily identifiable and understandable lines,
following natural and man-made boundaries
• Keep districts compact – appearance/function
Traditional redistricting principles used throughout the country and written into state law
24 23
24 Agenda Item #2.1:
12/13/2024
13 Communities of Interest
Communities of interest are the building blocks of election-districts.
A community of interest includes ethnic and language minorities and other groups.• Subjective
• Open-ended to be as inclusive as possible
Examples of Voting Rights Act Communities
• Latinos
• Asians
• African Americans
Bringing like people together for representation
25 Communities of Interest
Communities of interest are the building blocks of election-districts.
A community of interest includes ethnic and language minorities and other groups.• Subjective
• Open-ended to be as inclusive as possible
Examples of Voting Rights Act Communities
• Latinos
• Asians
• African Americans
While communities of interest may include race, it cannot be the predominant factor in drawing district boundaries.
Bringing like people together for representation
26 25
26 Agenda Item #2.1:
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14 Required Redistricting Criteria
There are a number of criteria that are required under the FAIR MAPS Act (ranked): • Relatively equal size - people, not citizens • Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
• Maintain “communities of interest”
• Easily identifiable and understandable lines,
following natural and man-made boundaries
• Keep districts compact – appearance/function
Traditional redistricting principles used throughout the country and written into state law
27 Required Redistricting Criteria
There are a number of criteria that are required under the FAIR MAPS Act (ranked): • Relatively equal size - people, not citizens • Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
• Maintain “communities of interest”
• Easily identifiable and understandable lines,
following natural and man-made boundaries
• Keep districts compact – appearance/function
Traditional redistricting principles used throughout the country and written into state law
28 27
28 Agenda Item #2.1:
12/13/2024
15 Compactness
Determining what is “compact”
The measure of compactness can get
complicated. • Ratio of the circumference of
a district and the area of a district. • Measuring the number of distinct straight lines and the number of
kinks and bends. • Simply outlawing funny shapes. 29 Compactness Determining what is “compact”
30 29
30 Agenda Item #2.1:
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16 Compactness
Determining what is “compact”
31 The FAIR MAPS Act adds more criteria to the process. • Not consider Incumbents / Candidates. • Not draw districts to advantage or disadvantage a political party. • Hold minimum set of hearings, encourage public engagement. • Posting of all redistricting commission information on a website that is maintained for the next 10 years.
Additional Redistricting Rules
Criteria required in the City of Sonoma Beyond Traditional Principles 32 31
32 Agenda Item #2.1:
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17 The Mechanics of Redistricting
Census Data
Census Files come in two parts:
Geography – the underlying framework of the data
Data – the counts of population and demographics
And they can convey different information:
Point in Time – Decennial Census
Multi-year Averages – Trends/Estimates 33
The Mechanics of Redistricting
Census Data
The Geography is called the
TIGER Files
- Topologically Integrated Geographic
Encoding and Referencing
- Nested geographic units
• Block
• Block Group
• Tract 34
33 34
Agenda Item #2.1:
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18 The Mechanics of Redistricting
Census Data
Census Blocks Census Block Groups Census Tracts 35
The mechanics of Redistricting
Census Data
36 35
36 Agenda Item #2.1:
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19 The mechanics of Redistricting
Census Data
37 The mechanics of Redistricting
Census Data
38 37
38 Agenda Item #2.1:
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20 The Mechanics of Redistricting
Census Data
Two different datasets most commonly used in
redistricting:
- PL 94-171 - the Decennial Census File
- Census Block Geography
- Total Population Counts for April 1, 2020, used to determine the size of each district
- Even though we are now in 2024, we are still required to use this dataset to balance the districts. 39
The Mechanics of Redistricting
Census Data
The census data file the city is required to use will be slightly different:
- Statewide Prisoner Reallocation
- California Statewide Database | UC Berkeley – adjusted population removing state prison population and reallocating them based on where they lived prior to being incarcerated. - This allows a more equitable redistricting. 40
39 40
Agenda Item #2.1:
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21 The Mechanics of Redistricting
Census Data
Two different datasets most commonly used in
redistricting:
- American Community Survey (ACS)
- Census Block Group and Census Tract or larger geographies - Results in estimated data that provides more context to the Census results with demographic and socioeconomic info. - Provides Citizen Voting Age Population (CVAP) 41
42 41
42 Agenda Item #2.1:
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22 43
44 Ideal Size for 4 Seats: 2,690
Ideal Size for 5 Seats: 2,152
43 44
Agenda Item #2.1:
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23 City of Sonoma
First three meetings devoted to community of interest
information gathering and education on districting process Proposed Schedule:
December 18, 2024 Public Hearing #1 (Pre-map)
January 15, 2025 Public Hearing #2 (Pre-map)
February 11, 2025 First draft of maps are published
February 19, 2025 Public Hearing #3 (Post-map)
March 3, 2025 Public Hearing #4 (Post-map)
March 19, 2025 Public Hearing #5: Adoption of Map
45 45
46 Agenda Item #2.1:
City of Sonoma
At Large
Agenda Item #2.1:
City of Sonoma
At Large
SONOMA
Population 10,761
Deviation 0
Deviation % 0.0%
Other 8,298
Other % 77.1%
Latino 2,079
Latino % 19.3%
Asian 315
Asian % 2.9%
Black 69
Black % 0.6%
2020 Census
SONOMA
Total CVAP 9,253
Other CVAP 7,908
Other CVAP % 85.5%
Latino CVAP 1,058
Latino CVAP % 11.4%
Asian CVAP 167
Asian CVAP % 1.8%
Black CVAP 120
Black CVAP % 1.3%
Citizen Voting Age Population (CVAP)
Agenda Item #2.1:
City of Sonoma
At Large
SONOMA
Other % Latino % Asian % Black %
2020 Census
Other % Latino % Asian % Black %
Citizen Voting Age Population
Population Deviation Deviation % Other Other % Latino Latino % Asian Asian % Black Black % 10,761 0 0.0% 8,298 77.1% 2,079 19.3% 315 2.9% 69 0.6%
Total CVAP Other CVAP Other CVAP % Latino CVAP Latino CVAP % Asian CVAP Asian CVAP % Black CVAP Black CVAP % 9,253 7,908 85.5% 1,058 11.4% 167 1.8% 120 1.3%
Agenda Item #2.1: