The fifth public hearing regarding the change to district elections for the City of San Rafael was held Monday evening, April 2, in the City Council Chambers. At this hearing, the City Council selected what is being called Canal Map 3B as the chosen map of the four districts that will govern city council elections in 2020. There will be one more public hearing, on April 16, to finalize the selection of that district map. April 16 is the deadline to finalize the election map in order to meet the legal requirements of the law suit brought on the City in response to the 2002 California Voting Rights Act (CVRA).
Canal Map 3B divides the City of San Rafael into four districts, each of which will elect one City Council member to represent that district. The Mayor, the fifth seat on the Council, will continue to be a city-wide elected position. The tentative names of the four districts are South District (#1 on the map, including the Canal area), West District (#2 on the map, including downtown), East District (#3 on the map, generally east of Hwy 101, north of the Canal and including the Civic Center) and North District (#4 on the map, primarily Terra Linda).
The Coalition is opposed to any approach that divides our community between multiple districts. That position was communicated to the City in a letter from the Board. Canal Map 3B “keep us together” and, therefore, meets our primary concern.