Many California cities are switching from at-large to district elections in which councilmembers are selected by geographic area. In the last year, dozens of cities either have made the switch or started the process of switching. Although the basic structure of the council-manager system remains the same, the switch may cause confusion among residents and city staff. In light of these changes, it is important for officials to pursue strategies to smooth the transition.
Jan Perkins and Rod Gould of Management Partners, a professional management consulting firm specialized in local government, provide CCMF members with five strategies to promote good governance during the switch to district elections.
Download the latest Member Resource to learn about best practices for transitioning to a council elected by districts. (You will need to log in to your member account first)