REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approval of Charter Review Committee Recommendations Regarding District Elections
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 with 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. Currently, the City Charter still states that City Councilmembers are to be elected "at-large, by seat."
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?"
Santa Clara voters approved Measure N, with 70.4% of the vote, on Nov. 6, 2018.
In July 2019, the City Council appointed a 7-member Charter Review Committee (Committee) charged with conducting public outreach and making recommendations related to district elections and a potential ballot measure.
DISCUSSION
Over a four-month period the Committee held five formal public input sessions, five informal listening sessions, received 259 survey responses regarding district elections, received seven e-mails and conducted individual outreach in the community.
At its October 17, 2019 public input session, the Committee voted to approve several recommendations to inform a charter amendment related to district elections. The recommendations are outlined below.
Recommendation 1
The Committee recommends the Santa Clara City Charter, Section 600, be amended to include the following requirements to run for and hold elected office as follows:
1. A candidate mu...
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