SBCCD Board Evaluates Redistricting Options

After public hearings and presentations from various stakeholders, the trustees on the San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) seven-member board selected “Plan 1” from three options that were created by a bipartisan firm from Sacramento, Redistricting Partners, who have provided similar services for numerous other local governments and college and school districts throughout the state. The vote took place at the SBCCD Board of Trustees regularly scheduled board meeting on Dec. 12 and was an agenized item. The three plans are reviewable on the San Bernardino Community College District website (www.sbccd.org) by clicking on the "Announcements" link on the homepage. The members of the board are currently elected to at-large, four-year positions. Recent changes in the California Voting Rights Act, which augments the Federal Voting Rights Act, and the results of the most recent census, led the board to decide to change the current system to one in which trustees are elected by area. Board President Donna Ferracone noted that, “A majority of the members of the board felt that Plan 1 best complied with both the spirit and the intent of the Voting Rights Acts, by maintaining the natural geographic and socio-economic communities of interest that currently exist, without gerrymandering the districts and by creating the fewest splits. We have a very large service area and there were numerous issues to consider.” Chancellor Bruce Baron said, “The board had to consider all the stakeholders and acknowledge respect for incumbency, while keeping in mind the constitutional “one-person, one vote” requirement of the Federal and State Voting Acts, and maintaining the lowest possible population deviation.” The Board of Trustees is required by law to regularly assess their election systems in conjunction with the decennial census. In that evaluation, they must consider whether racially polarized voting has the possibility of preventing a protected class (race, color or language minority group) from electing a governing board member, or prevents a protected class from influencing the outcome of an election, even if it is not clear that a majority-minority district can be drawn. There is no requirement that there be any intent to discriminate under the California law.