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IN THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LEANDRO <br />RESOLUTION NO. 2025-XXX <br />RESOLUTION DECLARING THE CITY OF SAN LEANDRO’S INTENT TO INITIATE PROCEDURES TO <br />TRANSITION FROM AT-LARGE ELECTIONS TO DISTRICT-BASED ELECTIONS FOR CITY COUNCIL <br />PURSUANT TO ELECTIONS CODE SECTION 10010; AND SETTING FORTH THE PROCESS FOR <br />TRANSITIONING TO DISTRICT-BASED ELECTIONS <br />WHEREAS, pursuant to California Elections Code Section 14026, the City of San Leandro’s <br />election system is considered an “at-large” system because it utilizes a combination of “at-large” and <br />“district-based” methods; and <br />WHEREAS, pursuant to City of San Leandro Charter Section 225, members of the City Council are <br />elected in “at-large” elections, in which each City Councilmember is elected by the registered voters of <br />the entire City; and <br />WHEREAS, any amendments to the City’s Charter regarding its existing election system method <br />requires a majority vote of the City’s electorate through a ballot measure; and <br />WHEREAS, on November 21, 2024, the City of San Leandro (“City”) received a letter from a <br />prospective plaintiff’s attorney alleging a violation of the California Voting Rights Act (the “CVRA”) and <br />signaling litigation if the City declines to voluntarily change to a district-based election system for <br />electing Councilmembers; and <br />WHEREAS, the letter itself was not accompanied by any statistical evidence to support the claim <br />of a CVRA violation; and <br />WHEREAS, the City Council denies that its election system violates the CVRA or any other <br />provision of law, asserts that the City’s election system is legal in all respects, and further denies any <br />wrongdoing whatsoever in connection with the manner in which at-large City Council elections have <br />been conducted; and <br />WHEREAS, nevertheless, the City welcomes the views of its constituents as to whether or not <br />the public interest is better served by initiating a process for transitioning to a district-based election <br />system; and <br />WHEREAS, Elections Code Section 10010 provides a method whereby a jurisdiction can <br />transition to a district-based election system and cap attorneys’ fees under the CVRA if the jurisdiction <br />complies with the “safe harbor” provisions of Elections Code Section 10010. <br />NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of San Leandro does RESOLVE as follows: <br />1.The above recitals are true and correct and are incorporated by reference herein. <br />2.The City Council hereby expresses its intent to consider transition from an at-large electionDRAFT