The City Council votes to select Draft Map "Dolphin"

Watch the discussion from the Jan. 18, 2022 City Council Meeting.

At the January 18, 2022 Regular City Council Meeting, the Monterey City Council hosted the third public hearing on the Council District-Based Elections process. A district-based election system differs from the current at-large election process; it is one where the City is divided into separate geographical areas making up districts, and voters residing within the district elect a representative who also resides within the district.

The City Council reviewed the four draft maps, named Abalone, Bat Ray, Cuttlefish, and Dolphin. Each map divides the City into four geographical areas (districts): A, B, C, and D. Each map is different and is compliant with the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) and the Fair Maps Act, based on State law, population equity, geographical compactness, and feedback from residents on Communities of Interest (COI). Each map attempts to create the best-case scenario for public involvement, participation, and representation of the population in the City Council election process. The City Council received and considered feedback from over a dozen speakers during the meeting, as well as from 72 emails and letters, and 27 submitted maps during the process that began in early December 2021.

After receiving public input from the community and asking questions to staff and consultant, a majority of the City Council chose the Dolphin map. The Dolphin map strives to keep as many neighborhoods intact as possible, and maintains Communities of Interest as much as possible. This map option also maximizes minority voting rights by creating the highest percentage of Latinx voters and citizens (16.9% Latinx/Hispanic Citizen Voting Age Population; or 29.8% Latinx/Hispanic total 2020 Census Population). The Dolphin map contains by the following neighborhoods:

• District A includes New Monterey and most of Old Town; Lower Presidio; the New Monterey (Lighthouse Avenue) and Cannery Row Business Districts; and Coast Guard Pier.
• District B combines Skyline Forest and Skyline Ridge neighborhoods with the upper portions of the Monterey Vista neighborhood, and upper portion of the Presidio of Monterey; includes Veterans Memorial Park and the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.
• District C keeps the neighborhoods near North Fremont Street together – Villa Del Monte, Del Monte Grove/Laguna Grande, Casanova Oak Knoll as well as the Del Monte Beach and Oak Grove neighborhoods; includes the North Fremont Business District, Monterey County Fairgrounds, and Naval Postgraduate School.
• District D keeps the lower sections of Old Town and Monterey Vista neighborhoods together, as well as the entirety of Downtown, Alta Mesa, Glenwood, La Mesa Village, Aguajito Oaks, Fisherman’s Flats, Deer Flats, and Ryan Ranch neighborhoods; with the Old Monterey Business District, Fisherman’s Wharf, Municipal Wharf 2, El Estero Park, Monterey Peninsula College, and Del Monte Center.

The Council then decided on the sequencing schedule, in effect, which two districts will be up for election. Two districts will have elections in November 2022, and two districts will have elections in November 2024. With more discussion coming in two weeks, Council’s motion was to schedule elections under the Dolphin Map for districts A and D to take place in 2022, and districts B and C in 2024.