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Gilroy holds first public hearing on move from at-large to district elections; demographer briefs council and public
Summary
Redistricting consultant explained the California Voting Rights Act, criteria for drawing districts and the five-meeting schedule. Dozens of residents gave input on communities of interest and asked for translated materials and workshops across the city.
The City Council held the first of five public hearings on March 3 about transitioning Gilroy from at-large elections to district-based elections, a change the city is pursuing under the California Voting Rights Act process.
Redistricting consultant Liz Ditt of Redistricting Partners presented the legal framework and practical steps residents should consider when identifying communities of interest. "The California Voting Rights Act ... prohibits at-large election systems if there's evidence of racially polarized voting," Ditt told the council, and she outlined why public outreach and multiple hearings are part of the safe-harbor process.
Nut graf: The hearing was educational and intended to solicit input on communities of interest and basic map-drawing criteria; no…
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