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District Election


Transition to District Elections


The City of Burlingame transitioned from at-large elections to by-district elections.  The following information is provided so that you can learn about the process. 

At the December 6, 2021 Fourth Public Hearing on the Transition to District Elections, the City Council selected Draft Map D.   

At the January 3, 2022 Fifth Public Hearing on the Transition to District Elections, the City Council introduced Ordinance 2003  to adopt the proposed lines in Draft Map D, number the districts, and outline which districts go to election in which year.   Ordinance 2003 was adopted at the January 18, 2022 City Council Meeting.  

Which District do I live in?

 Click here to determine which district you live in. 

Note that the above map was created by the City and the final determination of boundary lines for purposes of elections is the County Elections Office.   

You can reach out to the County Elections Office directly at: 650-312-5222 or email them at registrar@smcacre.org.

Additionally, you can review what is on your ballot here. 

November 2022 Election
District 1
District 3 
District 5 

November 2024 Election
District 2 
District 4  


Background

On January 17, 2020, the City received a letter from Kevin Shenkman, of the law firm Shenkman & Hughes, alleging that the City's at-large election system violated the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (CVRA)   The letter alleged that the City's current voting system "dilute[d] the ability of Asians ... to elect candidates of their choice or otherwise influence the outcome of the City's council elections."  This argument is based primarily on the fact that while Asian-Americans comprise around 20% of the City's population, an Asian-American has never been elected to the City Council.  The population data used is based on the 2010 census.

The CVRA, which was passed in 2002, prohibits at-large elections when it can be shown that they impair the ability of a protected class to elect candidates of their choice or to influence elections in a significant way.  The law was passed in part due to a lack of success by plaintiffs utilizing the CVRA's federal counterpart, the Federal Voting Rights Act, to show that "racially polarizing voting" exists in the jurisdiction; they do not need to show any intent of voters or City officials to discriminate against the underrepresented class.  They also do not need to prove that changing to district elections would increase representation on the elected body in question.  

On March 2, 2020 the Council met in closed session to consider the letter and the various options available to the City.

On March 16, 2020, the Council adopted Resolution Number 032-2020 reflecting its intent to transition from at-large to by-district for Council elections.

To assist with the transition, the City hired Redistricting Partners, a firm that specializes in drawing district lines for jurisdictions.  At the January 4, 2021 City Council meeting, Paul Mitchell of Redistricting Partners gave a presentation on the districting process and the factors that are taken into consideration when drawing district boundaries. 

Please explore the following links to learn more about Burlingame’s transition to district elections: 

Legal

Public Hearings
Pursuant to the law, the City Council conducted five public hearings on the transition from at-large to by-district elections. 
Below is a list of the hearings: 

First Public Hearing on February 1, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. 
Second Public Hearing on May 3, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. 
Third Public Hearing on November 1, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. (Draft maps A, B, and C were introduced to the Council and Community) 
Fourth Public Hearing on December 6, 2021 (Draft map D was first introduced to the Council and Community)
Fifth Public Hearing on January 3, 2022 (Introduction of Ordinance adopting Draft Map D) 
Additionally, two Mapping Tool Workshops were held to further assist the public with drafting maps.  The workshops were via Zoom on July 21, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. and August 21, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. 
Four Draft Maps Considered
Draft Map Plan A
Draft Map A with Street Names and Address Search 
Draft Map Plan B
Draft Map B with Street Names and Address Search
Draft Map Plan C
Draft Map C with Street  Names and Address Search
Draft Map Plan D
Draft Map D with Street Names and Address Search 


Who to Contact for Questions

Should you have any questions, please contact City Clerk Meaghan Hassel-Shearer at 650-558-7203 or by email at mhasselshearer@burlingame.org