Elections in San Luis Obispo could look different in two years. A proposal will be discussed at Tuesday’s city council meeting would have voters mark their ballot for one Council candidate rather than two.
The proposal comes after the group Southwest Voter Registration Education Project advised the city that its current election system violates the state’s Voting Rights Act. The group argued the current at-large election system without individual district representation does not serve underrepresented groups in SLO. That’s in part because 50% of the voters can, if they mostly support the same candidates, win all the seats.
However, SLO City Attorney Christine Dietrick said a remedy that involves direct district representation does not make sense for SLO because of its demographics.
“A minority influence district is difficult to achieve because we don't have huge concentrations in particular areas of the city of minority voters. So… we have a low minority percentage Citywide and also the minority vote is not aggregated in any one particular geographic area in the city,” Dietrack said.
So they struck a compromise. Under the plan, the top two candidates would still be elected to council, but voters will only select one name on their ballot.
“Our hope is that it's gonna elevate both candidate and voter participation, and influence, and create a system in which minority voters have an enhanced opportunity to elect their preferred candidates,” Dietrack said.
The council meeting is Tuesday Nov. 19 at City Hall at 5:30pm.
