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The Mayor’s office in San Rafael is elected pursuant to Article VI, Section 2 of the City’s Charter, which was approved by the voters in 1912.  Other cities in Marin County governed by general state law, rather than by a charter city; however, general law cities may also put a measure before their voters to...

This is a matter for further public input and discussion by the City Council as it considers the composition of the electoral districts.

Mr. Shenkman must provide documentation to back up the demand, but in past cases the documentation has not been very specific and the fees have been negotiated.

The City’s outside counsel advises that those figures appear to be realistic for the demographer and the plaintiff. Fees for the City’s attorneys would likely be less, since minimal travel time would be required.

Districts are set by total population. It can create a significant disparity, but that is the basis that has been approved by the courts, including—most recently—the Supreme Court in Evenwel v. Abbott. The chief exception is that prisoners can be excluded from the population base.

Staff is not aware of any circumstance that would require the City to hold an election for City Council in 2018.

No. The seats just rotate in. Each current member of the Council serves out the rest of the term to which he or she was elected, and then must run for re-election in the districts. It potentially gets a little more complicated if two councilmembers are paired in a single district, but everybody still serves...

Once a lawsuit is filed under the CVRA, we do not believe there is any authority for a judge to stay the case for five years; even if a judge is willing to approve a five-year transition period, it seems unlikely that this would be a basis for refusing to award the plaintiffs their attorney’s...

If the City transitions to district-based elections within the timeline established by the CVRA, the City will be liable for the attorney’s fees of the potential plaintiffs, capped at $30,000. If the City chooses not to make the transition within that timeline but does so after being sued, it is possible that the City will...

Article IV, Section 2 of the Charter provides that “all elections to fill public offices and elections on measures shall be made, held and conducted in the manner provided by law.”  Thus, Staff has concluded that under this provision, a vote of the people is not required to change to district-based elections for the four...

No. The seats just rotate in. Each current member of the Council serves out the rest of the term to which he or she was elected, and then must run for re-election in the districts. It potentially gets a little more complicated if two councilmembers are paired in a single district, but everybody still serves...

Given the very strict timelines that the Legislature has imposed for this process under the CVRA, and the substantial number of hearings that must be had in a short time, a citizen commission is impractical at this point. Nothing would prevent the Council from appointing such a committee in 2021, when lines are redrawn following...

The City began to do research, hired outside counsel, and started to schedule public hearings on the issue of district-based elections when it learned of the impending receipt of Mr. Shenkman’s letter.  The City hopes to provide an opportunity for all interested persons to provide input to the City Council on the issue of district-based...

Yes, Kevin Shenkman’s letter dated November 10, 2017, addressed to the City Clerk was received by her on November 20, 2017.