Members of the Irvine City Council gathered for a public council meeting which introduced the development of a district-based voting system for Irvine residents on Tuesday, April 11.
According to a press release from the City of Irvine, Irvine will implement a district voting system for the 2024 City Council elections.
As explained by the City of Irvine’s website, in district-based elections, the city of Irvine will be divided into six voting districts based on data from Census to ensure each district contains roughly the same amount of people. Rather than voting for the mayor and the other four council members in one single vote, Irvine residents who are eligible to vote will only vote for the mayor and one council member “to represent the district they live in,” according to the City of Irvine press release.
This development hopes to construct a city council that is more representative of Irvine’s local demographics, minority groups, and to “ensure their community is fairly represented,” as stated in the City of Irvine press release.
According to a recording of the council meeting on Irvine Community Television (ICTV), Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan, Vice Mayor Tammy Kim and Councilmembers Larry Agran, Mike Carroll and Kathleen Treseder participated in the April 11 meeting. During the meeting, the council members answered questions and concerns from residents regarding the voting system change.
A demographer and representative from the National Demographics Corporation emphasized three main dimensions — federal, state and civil — for the districting process during the council meeting. In each dimension, districts must encompass “an equal population without racial gerrymandering, in respect of the federal Voting Rights Act,” as stated on the City Council’s official website.
To help the public understand and adjust to the new system, the Irvine City Council will hold a series of public hearings and workshops from April through October 2023.
The hearings will address drafts of district dividing plans to the public, and provide the public a chance to express their concerns and suggestions on the district-drawing process. Additionally, the workshops will provide Irvine residents crucial information on “tools available to draw maps,”and enrich them with the ability to “connect with others engaged in the district formation process,” as stated in the City of Irvine press release. This process allows citizens to actively and personally participate in the process of drawing districts.
Christina Kollias, a 2nd year political science major, attended the council meeting as a representative of Associated Students of UCI (ASUCI). As the Government Relations Director, Kollias spoke on the importance of student voices in city discussions.
“Student voices are typically diluted at the City Council level,” Kollias said. “In-person meetings guarantee that the council members and general public not only hear our concerns but see us throughout the process.”
Regarding the transition to district-based elections, Kollias notably emphasized representation.
“This meeting marked the beginning of the two year long process of creating a more equitable council in Irvine,” Kollias stated. “Having our voices be heard at the beginning of the process will show that UCI students will be advocating throughout the entire process to have fair representation.”
During the meeting, council members and residents additionally discussed a possible expansion of the Irvine City Council. Kollias commented on opposition from community members against adding additional members to the City Council.
Rejection of the expansion will “undermine not just student voices but all communities that are traditionally marginalized,” Kollias stated. “Currently, the council only represents just over 50% of Irvine, so expanding the council would allow for a council that truly represents its community members,” Kollias said.
Additional public hearings regarding the districting process will also be open to all. The schedule for these hearings is provided on the City of Irvine website. Residents may participate in-person or watch the hearings remotely through ICTV.
Deng Liu is a City News Intern for the spring 2023 quarter. He can be reached at dengnl@uci.edu