The City of Palmdale will dramatically alter its voting system as part of a settlement in a landmark voting rights act lawsuit filed in 2012. The city will also pay $4.5 million plus interest in attorney’s fees for the three plaintiffs, who claimed the city’s at-large election system diluted minority votes.
The agreement was approved by the city council on Wednesday night. Per the settlement, the city agrees to swap the at-large method for a district-based election system. While Palmdale’s four city council members will be elected by district, the mayor will continue to be chosen by a citywide vote. The city has also agreed to move the races to coincide with state and federal general elections beginning November 16.
The settlement comes nearly two years after a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge ruled that the at-large system violated the California Voting Rights Act. Palmdale continued its fight unabated, with the mayor calling on other cities to unite against a flurry of similar lawsuits. But after losing a series of appeals, it became clear that Palmdale was facing an uphill battle.
Kevin I. Shenkman, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said he was “very pleased” with the outcome.
“Not only will Palmdale have fair and inclusive elections, but other cities will look to Palmdale as an example of what happens if they refuse to comply with the California Voting Rights Act,” Shenkman added.
City spokesman John Mlynar blamed the ordeal on a massive “disconnect” between the California Voting Rights Act and the state Constitution, which allows charter cities to choose their own election methods. Despite the city’s capitulation, Mayor Jim Ledford reiterated his belief that the lawsuit was nothing more than a “money grab.”
Palmdale joins dozens of other jurisdictions which have agreed to adopt district-based election systems amid legal threats. Voters in Whittier approved a district-based system last year and Santa Barbara agreed to the switch as part of a settlement in March.
Read more about the Wednesday’s settlement here.