Gilroy council votes to begin switch from at-large to district elections

The Gilroy City Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution declaring the city’s intent to transition from an at-large election system to a district-based election system, a move set in motion after the city received a demand letter alleging a violation of the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA).

The vote came after a presentation from outside counsel Kimon Manolius, who told the council the December 2024 letter triggered a statutory response window. “The letter then has a 45 day deadline,” Manolius said, explaining the letter sets a timetable for a jurisdiction to decide whether to pursue districting or face litigation.

The council’s resolution initiates a roughly 90-day process that must include five public hearings: two hearings to gather input on communities of interest, two hearings to review draft maps prepared by a demographer, and a final hearing to adopt maps and an elections schedule. Councilmembers discussed trade-offs including litigation costs, timing of elections and the technical requirement that districts be drawn using Citizens of Voting Age Population (CVAP) data from the 2020 Census.

Why it matters: transitioning to districts is the most commonly used way cities respond to CVRA letters; if the city does not act, plaintiffs may file suit. Defending a CVRA lawsuit can be costly and, if plaintiffs prevail, courts typically award plaintiffs’ attorney fees. Manolius told the council that litigating and losing such a case can result in seven-figure fee awards.

City officials and members of the public who spoke at the hearing framed the change as a chance to increase neighborhood representation and to lower barriers for local candidates. Armando Benedicino told the council that district elections would “ensure that every neighborhood has a dedicated representative,” and several speakers from the Latino community urged maps that reflect where Latino families live so their needs are represented on the council.

Councilmembers said they would pursue the districting process while also trying to improve civic engagement and candidate recruitment. Councilmember Hilton, who made the motion to adopt the resolution, said he would work with staff to develop civic-engagement materials and constituency outreach templates to help the transition go smoothly.

What the council decided: Councilmember Hilton moved to adopt a resolution declaring intent to transition; Councilmember Fugazi seconded. The roll call vote was 7-0 in favor; the calendar and the city attorney’s guidance set the next steps for scheduling the required hearings and hiring a demographer to prepare draft maps.

Next steps: The council directed staff to begin the public-hearing schedule required by state law, contract for demography services and public outreach, and set the city on a timeline to have new districts in place in time for future municipal election cycles (the council will determine which districts’ seats will be on the 2026 or 2028 ballots during the mapping process).