Santa Fe Springs : Initiative Measure Proposes Council Elections by District

A group of Santa Fe Springs residents, unhappy that four of five City Council members live in the south part of town, has proposed replacing the city’s at-large election with district races.

The residents submitted the initiative measure to City Clerk Hazel Fields on May 20, and they hope to qualify the measure for the Nov. 3 ballot. Proponents will have until Aug. 7 to gather the signatures of about 1,200 registered voters to place the measure before voters, Fields said.

Initiative spokesman Angel Obregon said one of the goals of changing to district elections is to enable more residents from the neighborhoods in the north part of Santa Fe Springs to be elected to the City Council.

Few council members have come from north Santa Fe Springs because the area traditionally has had a lower voter turnout than the south, Obregon said.

Under the plan, the city would be divided into five districts with about 3,000 voters per district. Two of the districts would be north of Telegraph Road. Two districts would be south of Telegraph Road, where four members of the current council live. The fifth district would run from north to south. Council members would be required to live in the district they represent.

Obregon said district elections also would reduce campaign costs because candidates would have to appeal to fewer voters.