Sentinel staff report–
Two seats on the Citrus Heights City Council are up for election this year, with one of them being an open seat created by the city’s new district-based election system.
Beginning Monday, July 13, and continuing through Aug. 7, Citrus Heights residents can file to run for one of the seats. As usual, residents must be 18 and be a citizen and a registered voter.
See interactive district map: click here
New this year, however, is a requirement that the resident also live in the district of the city where there is a seat up for election, meaning only about 2/5ths of the city’s residents are able to run for office this time around.
Elections will be held for Districts 1 and 3, which are located in the far west and southwest regions of the city. District 3, in the southwest, has no incumbents running, ensuring that at least one new face will join the council this year.
Current councilmen Bret Daniels and Jeff Slowey, who are up for election, both reside in District 1, meaning only one of them can retain their seat.
New Citrus Heights district map ensures one councilman gets booted in 2020
While Citrus Heights previously held its elections “at-large,” where anyone in the city could run for a position on the council, the district-based system was created last year after the city was threatened with a lawsuit. Cities around the state have made similar changes in their election systems, when faced with lawsuits alleging that at-large voting disenfranchises minorities and violates the California Voting Rights Act.
Under the new district-based voting system, voters will also only be able to vote for City Council candidates in their district. This means voters will only be able to cast a vote for City Council every four years, rather than every two years.
A total of five districts were created. Two council seats are up this year, while the remaining three seats will be up for election in 2022.
To apply for City Council, residents must first make an appointment with the City Clerk, a new requirement in light of COVID-19. Nomination papers must be submitted by Aug. 7 at 5 p.m., along with a filing fee of $25.
For more information, see citrusheights.net.
