HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - No. 2017-232 ERRESOLUTION NO. 2017-232
A RESOLUTION OF THE LODI CITY COUNCIL ADOPTING
LINE DRAWING CRITERIA FOR ESTABISHING DISTRICT
BOUNDARIES FOR BY -DISTRICT ELECTIONS FOR CITY
COUNCIL MEMBERS
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Lodi ("City") was elected under an "at
large" election system whereby Council Members were elected by voters of the entire
City; and
WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2017-223 to change to "by -
district" elections whereby each Council Member must reside within the designated
district boundary and is elected only by voters of that district; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Voting Rights Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1973) prohibits the
use of any voting qualification, or prerequisite to voting, or standard practice or
procedure in a manner which results in a denial or abridgement of the right of any citizen
of the United States to vote on account of race or color; and
WHEREAS, Federal law and the equal protection clause of the United States
Constitution require that each district be equal in population to ensure compliance with
the "one person, one vote" rule; however, deviations approximating five to ten percent
may be permitted under the equal protection clause where required to meet an official
criteria; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has instructed city staff to develop draft maps that
fully comply with legal requirements and intends to provide official criteria for any needed
deviations.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Lodi as
follows:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Lodi does hereby adopt the
following criteria to guide the establishment of districts for council elections (each, a
"Council District"):
1. Each Council District shall contain a nearly equal number of inhabitants;
2. Council District borders shall be drawn in a manner that complies with the
Federal Voting Rights Act;
3. Council Districts shall consist of contiguous territory in as compact form
as possible;
4. Council Districts shall respect communities of interest as much as
possible;
5. Council District borders shall follow visible natural and man-made
geographical and topographical features as much as possible; and
6. If the Council is so inclined, Council District borders may respect the
previous choices of voters by avoiding the creation of head-to-head
contests between Council Members previously elected by the voters,
insofar as this does not conflict with Federal or State law.
Dated: December 20, 2017
hereby certify that Resolution No. 2017-232 was passed and adopted by the City
Council of the City of Lodi in a regular meeting held December 20, 2017, by the following
vote:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — Johnson, Kuehne, and Mounce
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS — Chandler
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS — Nakanishi
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None
DISQUALIFIED: COUNCIL MEMBERS — None
2017-232
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NNIFE'3 . FERRAIOLO
ity Clerk