REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Voter approved Measure N Work Plan and Charter Review Committee Appointment Process relating to District Elections for the November 2022 Election Cycle
Report
BACKGROUND
In November 2018, the City of Santa Clara (City) held its first district-based elections as required by a ruling of the Santa Clara Superior Court (Court). The Court ruling implemented district-based elections (six Council Districts), but did not amend the City Charter. Under the state constitution, the City Charter can only be amended by a vote of the City electorate. Thus, the City Charter still states that City Council members are to be elected "at-large".
The City Council placed an advisory measure on the November 2018 ballot to determine if the voters wanted to engage in a public process to draft charter amendment language. The advisory ballot measure (known as "Measure N") read as follows:
"Shall the City of Santa Clara engage the voters in a public process to draft a Charter Amendment ballot measure to elect its Council Members, other than the Mayor, by district?"
Measure N was approved by 70.04% of eligible voters on Nov. 6, 2018.
DISCUSSION
Staff is seeking City Council direction to begin the public process approved by Measure N through appointment of a new Charter Review Committee.
Charter Review Committee Appointment Process
Scope of New Charter Review Committee
In order to focus the Charter Review Committee on the districting issue, staff recommends that their focus be limited to conducting the public process to draft language to amend the Charter with respect to council district elections. The scope, discussions and public input will be focused on the actual charter amendment language related to how voters elect their Councilmembers.
To that end, one of the first steps will be to receive public input on whether the public sentiment is to simply pose the following question: adopt the six-district plan and sequencing...
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