Community Matters: Strengthening democracy in Petaluma

We’re not yet two weeks into a new year and if you’re feeling a bit apprehensive, you’re not alone.

As a colossal surge in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations once again upends our lives, we are contemplating the long-term ramifications of a historic attack one year ago on the U.S. Capitol by rioters intent on overturning the 2020 presidential election and keeping Donald Trump in power. Many think our democracy is collapsing.

One recent poll found that 64% of Americans believe U.S. democracy is "in crisis and at risk of failing," with two-thirds of registered Republicans continuing to believe the “Big Lie” that voter fraud led Joe Biden to win the 2020 presidential election. Despite zero evidence of such fraud, state GOP leaders across the country are proposing laws that would enable state legislatures to override the popular vote of their citizens and instead choose their own slate of electors to tip the scales in 2024.

Yes, it’s a very scary time for democracy in America.

For a somewhat more inspiring picture, we can look locally. Governance here in Petaluma is generally quite strong, primarily due to the team of capable, hard-working people working under the leadership of a very well-qualified city manager.

But democratically-speaking, a sea change is underway in how Petaluma voters elect their representatives on the City Council, with many residents ignorant of exactly what’s happening or how political gamesmanship could undermine the entire process.

The coming change was prompted by a threatening letter sent to the City last summer by Malibu attorney Kevin Shenkman who charged that Petaluma’s at-large city council election system violates California’s Voting Rights Act of 2001 by making it difficult for minority groups to have adequate representation in city leadership. Because Latinos comprise nearly one quarter of Petaluma’s population, this city is ripe for change.

To better comply with the state voting law and avoid having to pay prospective legal damages, city council members recently decided to transition from at-large elections to district-based elections, with a final policy expected to be adopted in two months that will impact the municipal election in November.

Petaluma currently uses an at-large election system where all voters in the city cast a ballot for all six city councilmembers and a mayor. In the new district election model, voters from a specified area will vote directly for one of six council members to represent them. The city will be mapped into six distinct districts with approximately 10,000 people living in each one. For now, the mayor will continue to be selected with the at-large election system.

After reviewing the city’s web page and attending a presentation on district elections, I learned that residents have until Jan. 17 to submit comments on district mapping and can even draw their own suggested maps online. Extensive information is available on how to create equitable, “compact,” and “contiguous” election districts representing “communities of interest.”

On its face, district elections could very well enhance the local democratic process. For example, all of the city’s current elected officials live west of Petaluma Boulevard. The new district election model will guarantee more representation from people living in the central and eastside neighborhoods of the city. Perhaps a Latino resident will be elected.

But aside from where the district boundaries are eventually drawn, several policy questions must still be answered.

What if no one from a given district decides to run for election? Will a representative be appointed by the city council? How will that appointee be selected?

Will three of Petaluma’s six council members — Kevin McDonnell, D’Lynda Fischer and Dave King — terming out this November, it’s assumed that three election districts will be in play in 2022 and the other three in 2024. If so, which ones? Given that the eastside of town has no one currently serving on the council, it would be logical for at least two of this year’s three district elections to occur on the eastside.

Because King, McDonnell and Fischer all live in such close proximity to one another on the westside, it’s quite possible that none may be eligible to run for office this year.

That is unless a westside district boundary line could be drawn to enable just one sitting council member to run for re-election in a westside district contest.

And this is where things get dicey. In deciding district boundaries, should the home addresses of current or aspiring civic leaders be considered? Probably not, but it’s just one of many opportunities for political mischief that could easily undermine the integrity of the district election process.

As the city moves ahead to adopt district elections, it’s important for all voters to pay attention and stay engaged to ensure that the pugnacity local politics does not contaminate the process or discourage well-qualified, non-partisan people from wanting to serve their community.

John Burns is a former publisher of the Petaluma Argus-Courier. He can be reached at john.burns@arguscourier.com.