Ontario Municipal Code Art. 3 City Council Electoral System

(a) At-large election - Mayor. Pursuant to Cal. Gov’t Code § 34886, the mayor shall be voted on at-large.

(b) City Council districts established. Four City Council districts are hereby established in the City of Ontario. The boundaries and identifying number of each district shall be as described on the Council District Map 17 attached to Ord. 3224 as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein by this reference.

(c) Election of members of the City Council by district.

(1) Following the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section and upon the commencement of "by district" elections in the order established in section (d) of this § 2-1.301, members of the City Council shall be elected "by district" as defined in Cal. Gov’t Code § 34871 or any successor statute. Except for the Mayor, a person shall not be eligible to be elected to be a member of the City Council unless he or she is otherwise qualified as required by law and resided in the district, and both resided in the geographical area making up the district from which he or she is nominated to be elected and was a registered voter of the City of Ontario at the time nomination papers are issued to the candidate as provided for in § 10227 of the Cal. Elections Code. It is the intent of the City Council, in enacting this article, that no term of any member of the City Council that commences on or prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section shall be affected prior to its expiration date.

(2) Registered voters signing nomination papers or voting for a member of the City Council shall be residents of the geographical area making up the district from which the member is to be elected.

(3) The terms of the office of each member elected to the City Council, including the Mayor, shall remain four years.

(d) Commencement of district elections. It is the intent of the City Council, in enacting this article, that this section shall not affect any term of office in existence or commencing on or before the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section. Commencing with the general municipal election in November of 2024 and thereafter, the voters in districts 1 (one) and 4 (four) shall elect members of the City Council by district for full four-year terms. At the general municipal election in 2026 and thereafter, the voters in districts 2 (two) and 3 (three) shall elect members of the City Council and the Mayor shall be elected at large for full four-year terms.

(e) Adjustment of boundaries.

(1) Pursuant to Elections Code § 21601, as it may be amended, the City Council shall, by ordinance or resolution, adjust the boundaries of any or all of the districts following each decennial federal census. Using the census as a basis, the City Council shall adjust the boundaries so that the districts shall be as nearly equal in population as practicable and in compliance with all applicable provisions of law. Any adjustment of district boundaries shall be made by ordinance or resolution, adopted by the City Council before the first day of November of the year following the year in which each decennial federal census is taken. Prior to the public hearing approving the adjustment of the district boundaries, the City Council shall hold at least one public hearing on the proposed district boundaries as required by Election Code § 21607.

(2) At the time of any annexation of territory to the City, the City Council shall designate, by resolution adopted by a vote of at least a majority of the City Council, the contiguous district to which the annexed territory shall be a part and shall amend the district boundaries if necessary in accordance with Election Code § 21603, as it may be amended.

(3) Pursuant to Elections Code § 21606, the term of office of any Council member who has been elected and whose term of office has not expired shall not be affected by any change in the boundaries of the district from which he or she was elected. At the first election for Council following adjustment of the boundaries of the districts, a person meeting the requirements of Gov’t Code § 34882 shall be elected to the City Council for each district under the readjusted district plan that has the same district number as a district whose incumbent's term on the Council is due to expire.

(f) Implementation. If necessary to facilitate the implementation of this article, the City Clerk is authorized to make technical adjustments to the district boundaries that do not substantively affect the populations in the districts, the eligibility of candidates, or the residence of elected officials within any district. The City Clerk shall consult with the City Manager and City Attorney concerning any technical adjustments deemed necessary and shall advise the City Council of any such adjustments required in the implementation of the districts.

(§ 1, Ord. 3224, eff. January 19, 2023)