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Tustin Does What Irvine Refuses to Do: Transition to District Elections … a Fairer System to Elect City Councilmembers

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The Tustin City Council has voted unanimously to transition to district elections for the November 2022 general election. This week, Tustin held its first public meeting to explain district elections to voters and to seek input from the community as to the number of districts to be established, and the geographic boundaries for each Council district.

An “at-large” election system often precludes local neighborhood representation because voters throughout the entire City elect all members of the City Council; this often results in two or three elected Councilmembers living in the same area of the City, leaving other ares of the City unrepresented. District elections would divide the City into geographic districts, allowing voters in each district to elect their own City Councilmember, who must also live in that district.

As cities grow, most decide to switch to district elections since it’s viewed as a more equitable voting system to ensure that every part of town has its own elected representative. In recent years, a majority of Orange County cities have transitioned to district elections.

Here in Irvine, district elections could be beneficial to residents in the northern part of the City who are not now represented on the Council. Homeowners in that area are currently battling an asphalt company that is spewing toxic emissions. And Great Park Neighborhood homeowners — whose “special taxes” fund the amenities and operations at the Great Park — continue to have no say in what is actually built at the Great Park.

Moving to district elections — with each Council district comprised of about 50,000 people — could also help residents around UCI. Voters in that area (many of whom are attached to the university, which is the largest employer in the City) have historically not been represented on the Council.

The only member of the Irvine City Council to publicly support the City transitioning to district elections is Larry Agran. When asked for comment, Agran stated: “District elections have proven to be a better form of representation, and would allow us to expand the Council by two seats, ensuring that every part of the City is represented. Why wouldn’t we want that?”

So far, Mayor Farrah Khan and the Council majority have refused to allow Agran to publicly discuss the subject of district elections at Council meetings, even though the City has been threatened with a possible lawsuit that could cost Irvine taxpayers millions of dollars if the City does not transition to the more equitable system of district elections.

What Do YOU Think?

Should the City of Irvine transition to a system of district elections for the November 2022 City election?

Take the Irvine Community Poll:

 

ICNV Staff

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