Changing elections

It is time for change on how our City Council is elect- ed. The current at-large scenario, whereby all voters in the city can cast ballots for all open seats and that council members represent the city as a whole rather than a smaller district within the city does not provide fair representation of our minority population, women and seniors. Additionally, it is probably in violation of the California Voting Rights Act. In order to rectify this long-standing situation, it is time to scrap "at large" citywide elections in favor of geographic districts. This would allow for distinct voting districts, with each dis- trict electing a council member from within their geo- graphic boundaries. By way of example, it would allow the Pico neighborhood to have an elected council mem- ber. It would allow the same for North of Montana resi- dents, along with residents who live along the beach, residents who live in Mid City, the Wilshire neighbor- hood, downtown residents, Sunset Park, Ocean Park, Northeast Santa Monica and Wilshire/Montana.
It is time for change. I ask that the current City Council take the lead in changing how they are elected, before someone decides to put this to the voters in yet another ballot measure.
Michael C. Dubin
Santa Monica