Burbank City Council Seeks Analysis of Alternative Council Election Processes

Burbank, CA (October 4, 2023) – On Tuesday, October 3, 2023, the Burbank City Council reviewed an ordinance to adopt a five-district map of Burbank for future City Council elections. Consideration of council districts began in January 2023 in response to a notice of a potential violation of the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) on behalf of a voter in Burbank who claimed the representation of Latino voters was being diluted by the current at-large election system of electing council members.

In a unanimous vote, the Council declined to adopt the presented districting ordinance and directed staff to evaluate the availability and impact of cumulative voting within the City’s existing at-large elections.

The unanimous motion made the following requests:

• Contact the Los Angeles County Clerk regarding the feasibility of cumulative voting for residents and return with a first-step report on cumulative voting that addresses any expected impact on voter representation in Burbank.

• Direct the Charter Review Committee to consider the size and composition of the City Council, consider various iterations of districts, the possibility of a separately elected Mayor, and a re-districting process.

• Invite the prospective plaintiff to participate in the future discussion to ensure any potential outcome addresses the concerns posed by the initial notice.

Since March 2023, the City has conducted an extensive public outreach process which included five public hearings and eight community forums to collect resident feedback. To learn more about the districting process, draft map submissions, and community outreach efforts thus far, visit BurbankCouncilDistricting.com.

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