Move to District Elections in Limbo

A potential move to district-based elections for Carson City Council remains up in the air. Recent updates from the City have suggested Districts could be implemented for this November, but LA County court records show the case to force districts in Carson is not set until February 2021. The City could yet make a move for 2020, but the issue has not appeared on recent agendas and time is running short to implement maps for an election now six months away.

For nearly two years the move to districts has been one of the most hotly debated issues in Carson. Like most other cities its size, Carson has held “at large” elections in which voters vote citywide for councilmembers. Dozens of cities in the State have moved to a district system, which would carve Carson into four (or more) districts, each with their own representative.

City Council meetings discussing the City’s options have often been bitter. Some have pushed the City should fight the lawsuit, though the City risks multi-million damages if it were to lose, as most other cities have. Santa Monica is currently fighting a similar lawsuit.

Carson CAT will continue to follow this issue closely.