By-Trustee-Area Elections and the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA)
Links, Mapping Documents & Resources
PUSD Board of Trustees Map 4 for By-Trustee-Area Elections
At their March 24, 2022 regular meeting, the Board approved a resolution to adopt Trustee Area Map 4. The resolution indicates that the transition is in furtherance of the purposes of the CVRA and asks the County Committee to approve the transition without the need for an election. Upon approval by the County Committee, and submission to the County Registrar of Voters, the map will become effective for the November 2022 election cycle.
Background
On Oct. 14, 2021, the Board of Trustees approved a resolution to begin moving towards 'By-Trustee-Area' elections.
PUSD Board members are currently elected in “at-large” elections, where each member is elected by voters throughout the District. The California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) prohibits the use of “at-large” elections in certain circumstances. “By-trustee-area” elections, in which members are elected by voters in geographical subdivisions of the jurisdiction, are immune from challenge under the CVRA and may provide additional opportunities for candidates from across a jurisdiction to seek election. Thus, many school districts and other local agencies, including the City of Pleasanton, have transitioned from at-large to by-trustee area elections, or are in the process of doing so.
In the next several months, the District will engage with the community and Board of Trustees in a process that will establish five new election areas within the District. The process includes five required School Board level meetings. Two of these meetings are “pre map” meetings where the criteria and process will be discussed. Three formal meetings will be held where maps developed by our demographer and input from the community will be evaluated and discussed. At the conclusion of the fifth public hearing meeting, the Board will vote to approve the election area map and move the District to the “by-trustee-area” for the November 2022 election. Additional community meetings will be held throughout the process as indicated below and the public can provide input throughout the process on this website.