The Irvine City Council voted 4–1 on Jan. 10 to consider expanding the council from four to six members and dividing representation into districts.
Currently, councilors are elected at large—by all eligible city voters—and represent the whole city.
Switching to districts would mean candidates would be elected by only those who live in their district. The elected mayoral seat would not be impacted.
“It’s just so hard to reach out to the entire city and make connections with the voters,” Councilwoman Kathleen Treseder said during the meeting. “If we have districts, it’ll make it more accessible to more people to be able to run.”
Vice Mayor Tammy Kim, who cast the sole dissenting vote, told The Epoch Times she supports expanding the council but doesn’t see the necessity of switching to districts in Irvine.
Under the California Voting Rights Act, district voting is intended to provide fairer representation to minority communities. In cities like Santa Ana, districting allowed for the first-ever Vietnamese councilor to be elected, Kim said.
“The problem is Irvine is a newer city,” she said. “We’re one of the most thoroughly integrated and diverse cities in the United States.”
She said Irvine doesn’t fit the purpose for districting per state law, as districting would end up “violating the California Voting Rights Act by cracking communities,” she said.
Kim said districting also could also lead to less representation for residents, as councilors may then only be interested in their own districts problems rather than those in Irvine proper.
“If we were divided into districts, then the only care and concern that any council member will have is that particular district,” she said.
But Councilman Larry Agran, who has advocated for district elections at prior meetings, told The Epoch Times such a change would not affect representatives’ interest in other districts’ issues.
“Because you’re elected from one part of town ... doesn’t mean we’re uninterested or unapproachable with regard to other issues in town,” he said. “I’m interested in everything that goes on in the city.”
Agran said he believes switching to districts is necessary because of Irvine’s large population, noting it would allow councilors to focus on hyper-local issues.
“They provide for a better form of representation,” he said. It permits councilors to “simply have a better understanding of the local problems and opportunities in [their] area of town.”
For Irvine to shift to districting, the city would require an amendment to its charter, as well as an ordinance, public outreach, and hearings.
The amendments would require voter approval, with the next available dates not until the next statewide primary or general election in 2024.
City staff will report back to the city council at a later date with more information on district elections and council expansion.
