City of Hayward begins process to move to district-based elections for City Council
HAYWARD, Calif., May 2, 2024—The City of Hayward is initiating a process to move from at-large to a district-based system of elections for City Council starting in 2026. This change in the election process will benefit from feedback from residents who know the community best, and the City is launching an outreach process to engage residents in the district formation process.
To facilitate the sharing of information and gathering of input and feedback on the drawing of district-election maps, the City is establishing a website at www.maphayward.org. Community members can also ask questions and provide input and feedback by calling (510) 583-4444 or by sending an email to districting@hayward-ca.gov.
The City plans to hold four public hearings to provide public information and gather community input and feedback on the drawing of geographic districts from which candidates will eventually run for seats on the City Council.
The public hearings will be held in hybrid format to allow for in-person and online participation and are tentatively scheduled to take place at City Hall, 777 B Street. The first two scheduled dates are as follows:
- May 14, starting at 5:30 p.m.
- May 28, starting at 6 p.m.
The process for moving from at-large to district-based elections is provided for under the California Voting Rights Act. It was initiated in Hayward by a vote of the Council on April 16 in response to a legal claim that the current election system dilutes the voting power of Asian-American voters.
We look forward to hearing from you and working together with community members to develop a district-based elections map that will best serve all Hayward residents.
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