TRUSTEE AREA CONVERSION

BY-TRUSTEE AREA ELECTION SYSTEM OVERVIEW

The Hueneme Elementary School District has initiated the process to change the manner in which members of the Governing Board are elected. Currently, an at-large election system is used, which means that all registered voters residing within the HESD service area vote for all seats up for election.

The California Voting Rights Act of 2001 states that “An at-large method of election may not be imposed or applied in a manner that impairs the ability of a protected class to elect candidates of its choice or its ability to influence the outcome of an election.” A protected class is defined as a class of voters who are “members of a race, color, or language minority group.”

Adopting a by-trustee area election system ensures that a district is compliant with the California Voting Rights Act. Under a by-trustee area election system, the district is divided into geographic areas – or trustee areas – and board members residing in each trustee area will be elected by the registered voters living in that particular trustee area.

On November 26, 2018, members of the Hueneme Elementary School District Board of Education adopted Resolution B18-19-06 indicating their intent to transition Governing Board elections from an at-large system to a by-trustee area system.

Pursuant to Election Code Section 10010, HESD conducted a series of public hearings to receive input from the community on the composition of proposed election geographic areas for Governing Board seats. Residents were urged to participate and provide feedback during the hearings so that the proposed By-Trustee areas reflected communities of interest.

On May 13, 2019, members of the Hueneme Elementary School District Board of Education adopted Resolution B18-19-18 approving a final trustee area plan for the District's transition to a by-trustee area election system; a plan of election from those areas, and recommending that the Ventura County Committee on School District Organization approve the District's establishment of a by-trustee area election system and adopted trustee voting area plan.