City Again Discusses Elections Lawsuit

By Perry Smith Signal Senior Staff Writer

Santa Clarita City Council members are set to once again discuss a controversial topic in closed session: the city’s efforts to move to a district-based election as the result of its attempt to settle a lawsuit.

The city is currently months behind a previously announced timeline for a proposed map with district boundaries, which was Nov. 8, according to a court settlement first proposed Dec. 29, 2021.

Expected soon is a plan from the city on the process for at least two public hearings slated for the discussion of maps that would determine Santa Clarita’s districts for City Council elections for at least the next six years, starting with 2024 election.

“We’re trying to announce a joint map,” said Scott Rafferty, the attorney for two plaintiffs, Michael Cruz and Sebastian Cazares, who brought forth the lawsuit alleging the city was in violation of the California Voting

Rights Act with its at-large elections.

“I’m optimistic — that’s all I can say.”

The city has yet to release a map regarding how it thinks the city should be split into five distinct areas of representation for its council members, with at least two of those spots expected to be on the ballot in November 2024.

It could choose to propose the plaintiffs’ map at the hearings, but that would put the incumbents on that ballot in a bit of a tough spot.

The basis of the violation is that the plaintiffs believe the rights of a protected class — in this instance, Latino voters — are being disenfranchised by the city’s at-large elections. Creating five districts, including one that has a Latino plurality, would remedy the alleged violation, according to the settlement agreed to by both sides.

City Council members have declined to comment on the pending litigation, leaving nothing but speculation available as to why the city thus far has not met its agreed-upon Election Day timeline to present a

See LAWSUIT, page 12

Percentages according to map sent to city of Santa Clarita by attorney Scott Rafferty. This is the map proposed by Rafferty and will not necessarily be the final map that will be used for future elections.