City of Grover Beach issued the following announcement on Jan. 3.
The City of Grover Beach is scheduled to hold its two remaining public hearings for the district formation process on January 24 at 6 p.m. and February 28 at 6 p.m. At the January 24 hearing, the City Council will review and discuss draft maps submitted by January 6 and provide feedback to the City’s demographer on map options they would like to consider for adoption at the February 28 public hearing.
Once the City Council selects a map for adoption, the current system of at-large citywide elections will be replaced with district elections in which voters will vote for one City Council Member who lives in their district. Grover Beach residents will continue to vote for an at-large Mayor. The new voting system will first affect the two seats and the at-large mayor up for election in 2022, then followed by the next two seats in 2024.
The way City Council districts are drawn determines how a community is represented in the halls of government by understanding its needs and concerns. Grover Beach residents are highly encouraged to participate in the districting process and attend these meetings as new election lines will determine which communities are placed in each City Council district. Participating in the districting process can also lay the groundwork for achieving a strong collective voice.
Residents of Grover Beach have an opportunity to draw their own map for the City Council to consider for adoption. The selected district map must be drawn in accordance with the FAIR MAPS Act and AB 1276, which states districts must be:
Geographically contiguous (each council district should share a common border with the next),
Respectful of the geographic integrity of local neighborhoods or communities in a manner that minimizes its division,
Drawn with easily identifiable boundaries that follow natural or artificial barriers (rivers, streets, highways, rail lines, etc.), and,
Drawn to encourage geographic compactness with boundaries not drawn for purposes of favoring or discriminating against a political party.
Paper and online mapping tools are available on the City’s districting website at groverbeach.org/districting and can be used to draw as many maps as residents would like throughout the entire districting process.
The deadline to submit maps to be considered by the City Council at the third public hearing is January 6 at 5 p.m. The deadline to submit ALL maps to be considered at the final public hearing, scheduled for February 28, is February 10 at 5 p.m.
All proposed maps submitted by the public and the City’s demographer will be posted on the City’s districting website. Residents are encouraged to review draft maps and share their feedback during the public hearings or via email to districting@groverbeach.org.
For more information regarding the public hearings and mapping tools, visit groverbeach.org/districting.
Original source can be found here.
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