The California Legislature on Tuesday sent the governor a bill aimed at improving minority voter representation on city councils.
The measure, SB 493 by Sen. Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres), allows city councils for general law municipalities with fewer than 100,000 residents to switch their at-large elections to district elections without have to get voter approval.
In at-large elections, candidates are elected by a citywide vote. In district elections, municipalities are carved up into districts, and candidates run to represent one of those areas.
Voters have filed lawsuits in several cities arguing that at-large elections prevent minority groups from electing candidates representing their communities.