HomeMy WebLinkAboutBrandon Martinez From: noreolv(abaran icusideas.com
To: Yasuda, Erica;Woodward,Carrie;City Clerk
Subject: New eComment for Regular Meeting of the City Council
Date: Tuesday,July 21,2020 5:05:27 PM
SpeakUp
New eComment for Regular Meeting of the City
Council
Brandon Martinez submitted a new eComment.
Meeting: Regular Meeting of the City Council
Item: A. Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section
54956.9 related to a written threat to initiate litigation against the City for alleged violation of the
California Voting Rights Act.
eComment: Honorable Members of the City Council, This is Brandon Martinez, Tustin resident
and founder of Voters Choose. My comment is on behalf of our leadership team and 500+ Tustin
members. We urge the City Council to respond to MALDEF's letter by adopting at-large Rank
and Add elections. As the legal memo we distributed to the Council and City Manager shows,
Tustin's current at-large system will not withstand California Voting Rights Act scrutiny. The
status quo, therefore, is untenable if the City wants to avoid millions of dollars in lawsuits. The
virus will not keep the letter at bay for too long. However, we would also urge the Council not to
give in to the demand letter. Our research has shown that fewer candidates run at the district
level, so that voters receive fewer candidate choices and many races go uncontested. Also,
racial representation does not increase with districts. Instead, Latinos, Asians, and African-
Americans get packed into a safe seat, and division only increases when these groups lack
majority power. There is a better way. With Rank and Add, Tustin can maintain at-large
elections. This system will give groups that are currently under-represented an equal voice and
enough power to elect candidates of their choice. Rank and Add also gives consensus
candidates the best chance of winning, which will reduce political divides in the City in the long
term. Both these facts will satisfy the CVRA, with no need for litigation or payments in response
to the demand letter. Voters Choose is ready to share its research and discuss Rank and Add.
We warmly encourage anyone who has not replied to our requests for a meeting to connect with
us soon. If you put Rank and Add to a ballot vote (as a charter amendment with narrow scope),
voters will support it. It is the alternative to court-ordered, coerced district elections. Our team's
conversations have shown that, once people know how this intuitive system works, they strongly
support it. We hope you will, too.
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