Victorville Municipal Code Ch. 2.15 City Council—district-Based Elections

The city council hereby declares that the purpose of this chapter is to change the method of electing members of the Victorville City Council (individually a "councilmember" and collectively "councilmembers") to district-based elections as defined in the California Voting Rights Act of 2001.

(Ord. No. 2422, § 2, 12-22-21)

Five single-member councilmember districts are hereby established in the City of Victorville. The boundaries and identifying number of each district shall be as described on the district boundary map as shown below.

[District Boundary Map attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein to be published in this section 2.15.020 the Victorville Municipal Code and kept on file in the city clerk's office.]

(Ord. No. 2422, § 2, 12-22-21)

[Figure]

(a) Following the effective date of the ordinance [January 21, 2022] creating this chapter and upon the commencement of "by-district" elections in the order established in section 2.15.040 of this chapter, district-based elections for each of the five city councilmembers shall be conducted in accordance with California Government Code Sections 34871 and 34882, meaning that:

(1) A person is not eligible to hold office as a councilmember unless he or she resides in, and is a registered voter in the district in which he or she seeks election, beginning at the time nomination papers are issued to candidates as provided in California Elections Code Section 10227; and

(2) One councilmember shall be elected for each district by the voters of that district alone.

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

(c) No term of any councilmember that commenced prior to the effective date of the ordinance [January 21, 2022] creating this chapter shall be affected by the adoption of said ordinance.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the councilmembers in office at the time this chapter takes effect shall continue in office until the expiration of the term to which he or she was elected.

(e) In the event a vacancy occurs before the expiration of the term of a councilmember in office at the time this chapter takes effect, a person who is appointed or elected by special election to fill such vacancy may reside anywhere within the corporate boundaries of the city. A person appointed or elected to fill such a vacancy shall hold the office in accordance with Government Code Section 36512.

(f) The terms of the office of each member elected to the city council shall remain four years.

(Ord. No. 2422, § 2, 12-22-21)

(a) Commencing at the general municipal election in 2022 and every four years thereafter, the voters in districts 2 and 4 shall elect Councilmembers by district for full four-year terms. At the general municipal election in 2024 and every four years thereafter, the voters in districts 1, 3, and 5 shall elect councilmembers by district for full four-year terms.

(b) The term of office of any councilmember 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.

(Ord. No. 2422, § 2, 12-22-21)