Which draft Council district map do you prefer?

Currently, at-large elections in Fremont allow registered voters to vote for any candidate. In 2018, registered Fremont voters may only vote for candidates who live in and represent their District. The mayoral candidate will remain at-large.

The City would like to know which draft district map Fremont residents prefer.

Please weigh in to share your feedback for City Council consideration.

Background

On March 21, 2017, the City of Fremont adopted a resolution of intention to transition from at-large to district-based elections. The City has already held four of the five required public hearings where the Fremont City Council and community provided input on the criteria to guide the creation of the district boundaries.

As mentioned in the City’s press release, the City decided to take this action after receipt of a letter on February 15, 2017, from attorney Kevin I. Shenkman. Mr.  Shenkman states that Fremont’s at-large elections violate the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (CVRA) and alleges that there is evidence of racially polarized voting in the Fremont electorate. Under the CVRA, minimal evidence of racially polarized voting can result in a court ordering a change from at-large voting to district-based voting, even if there is no evidence of an electoral injury.

Using input received thus far, draft district maps have been drawn. Throughout the public hearing process, the City’s consultant team has presented guidance on what factors should be taken into consideration when creating the new voting districts, including the following legally required criteria:

• Each council district shall contain a nearly equal population;
• A districting plan shall be drawn in a manner that complies with the Federal Voting  Rights Act; and
• Each council district shall not be drawn with race as the predominate factor in violation of the principles established by the United State Supreme Court in Shaw v. Reno, 509 U.S. 630 (1993).

The City Council also directed the City’s consultant team to devise draft maps based on a configuration of six (6) electoral districts with a Mayor chosen by the electorate citywide.

Two remaining public hearings are scheduled at City Hall, located at 3300 Capitol Ave., Building A in the Council Chambers at 7 p.m. on the following dates:

• Fifth public hearing: Tuesday, June 6, 2017
• Sixth and final public hearing: Tuesday, June 13, 2017

The June 6 hearing is the fifth required public hearing where the Council will make final recommendations to a preferred draft map and introduce an ordinance to establish district-based elections and the sequence of elections for the districts. At the sixth and final public hearing, the Council will vote to consider adoption of an ordinance establishing district- based elections.

To learn more about the City’s transition from at-large to district elections, visit the district elections webpage at www.Fremont.gov/DistrictElections. The webpage includes staff reports, translated materials, a series of draft maps published to date based on public input, and contact information to provide further feedback beyond your posted comments on this online forum. 

All comments received will be shared with the Fremont City Council as part of the public feedback at the June 6, 2017 hearing.