Palm Desert will start to draw 5 new council districts soon. How the public can weigh in

Tom Coulter, Palm Springs Desert Sun
·5 min read
A map shows the two districts for the Palm Desert City Council that were in effect for the 2022 general election. By 2024, there will be five districts.
A map shows the two districts for the Palm Desert City Council that were in effect for the 2022 general election. By 2024, there will be five districts.

As the city of Palm Desert transitions to a five-district council system ahead of the 2024 election, the public will have several chances to learn about the process and weigh in, starting next week.

The switch from two to five council districts was approved by the council in June, after a majority of the city’s voters — roughly 53% — supported the move on an advisory ballot measure in last year’s general election.

The council’s vote included getting rid of the city's new ranked-choice voting system, after a few members repeatedly said its rollout in the 2022 council election was confusing. Despite approving the move to five districts, some on the council also worried about hurrying the process in time for the next election.

With the council aiming to have the new maps ready in time for the 2024 general election, city staff laid out a timeline to adopt the new maps by early next year.

How did we get here?

Under the current system, residents of District 2 — which includes about 80% of the city’s population — vote for four councilmembers, while the smaller District 1 — which covers the Civic Center area and surrounding neighborhoods — select one representative.

Palm Desert had at-large voting for its five council seats until 2019, when two residents filed a lawsuit against the city, saying it was in violation of the California Voting Rights Act, which requires cities to ensure minority voting groups have a fair chance for representation.

That lawsuit led to the two-district setup. While Latino residents make up just over a quarter of its population, Palm Desert didn't have its first Latina council member until Karina Quintanilla — one of the suit's plaintiffs — won election in District 1 after it was created in 2020. Roughly 44% of the voting-age population in District 1 is Latino.

Despite the switch to two districts, supporters of Measure B last year said the five-district system would better ensure citywide representation on important issues. Opponents of Measure B, including the council’s other four members, said elected officials already consider the entire city’s interests.

What's the timeline?

The council, which is required by state law to hold several public meetings before selecting the new maps, agreed to the following timeline:

  • Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. – Community Workshop, Civic Center/Zoom hybrid meeting. A pre-map workshop to share information on the redistricting process, how to provide public comment and how to submit a proposed map for consideration. (Zoom: https://palmdesert.zoom.us/j/87472618314)

  • Sept. 14 at 4:30 p.m. – Public hearing #1, Council Chamber/Zoom hybrid. A public hearing to inform the council and public about the redistricting process, how to provide public comment and how to submit a map for consideration. (Zoom: https://palmdesert.zoom.us/)

  • Sept. 28 at 4:30 p.m. – Public hearing #2, Council Chamber/Zoom hybrid. Another public hearing to provide information about the process. (Zoom: https://palmdesert.zoom.us/)

  • Sept. 29 – Community map drawing opens. The draft maps from the city-hired demographer will be released for public review and comment. Online and paper drawing tools will be available for the public to use.

  • Oct. 4 at 5 p.m. – Map drawing workshop #1, Zoom meeting. The demographer will demonstrate how to use the online mapping tool. This session will be recorded and posted to the city’s redistricting website. (Zoom: https://palmdesert.zoom.us/j/83593059783)

  • Oct. 16 at 5 p.m. – Map drawing workshop #2, Zoom meeting. The demographer will demonstrate how to use the online mapping tool. This session will be recorded and posted to the city’s redistricting website. (Zoom: https://palmdesert.zoom.us/j/86378653984)

  • Nov. 1 – Community map drawing closes. Deadline for the submission of community-drawn maps for consideration.

  • Nov. 16 at 4:30 p.m. – Public hearing #3, Council chamber/Zoom hybrid. All maps from the demographer and the community will be presented for the council’s consideration, with the council being asked to narrow their options to three to five “focus maps.” (Zoom: https://palmdesert.zoom.us/)

  • Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. – Community workshop #2, Palm Desert iHub. Presentation of focus maps, with public feedback and comments welcomed.

  • Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. – Community workshop #3, Civic Center/Zoom hybrid. Presentation of focus maps, with public feedback and comments welcomed. (Zoom: https://palmdesert.zoom.us/j/84020763120)

  • Dec. 14 at 4:30 p.m. – Public hearing #4, Council chamber/Zoom hybrid. The council will select a final map and provide direction on any final adjustments. The council will also hear about community feedback gathered at recent workshops and solicit additional public comment. (Zoom: https://palmdesert.zoom.us/)

  • Jan. 11, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. – Public hearing #5, Council chamber/Zoom hybrid. The council will select a final map and introduce an ordinance enacting five single-member districts. (Zoom: https://palmdesert.zoom.us/)

  • Jan. 25, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. – City council meeting, Council chamber/Zoom hybrid. The council will consider an ordinance enacting five single-member district and introduce another to eliminate ranked-choice voting in future elections. (Zoom: https://palmdesert.zoom.us/)

The council also unanimously approved a public education and outreach plan during its meeting last week, which includes creating a dedicated standalone website for the process, a bilingual citywide mailer, radio advertising, press releases and social media posts.

The city is planning to spend $155,000 in total on the plan, including $60,000 for map drawing services from National Demographics Corp.

What about other cities in the valley?

With its move away from at-large voting, Palm Desert is joining four other cities in the Coachella Valley — Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Indio and Palm Springs — that have already switched to district council systems.

The cities’ transitions have largely come under the threat of lawsuit from a Malibu-based firm, Shenkman & Hughes, which has forced dozens of jurisdictions across California to end their at-large elections by alleging they were in violation of the California Voting Rights Act.

The remaining cities in the valley with at-large council systems — Coachella, Indian Wells, La Quinta and Rancho Mirage — all have smaller populations that fall below the 50,000-person legal threshold typically used to require the transition.

Meanwhile, most valley cities no longer have a directly elected mayor, instead opting for the title to rotate yearly among council members. Only three — Coachella, Desert Hot Springs and La Quinta — still have standalone mayoral positions.

Tom Coulter covers the cities of Palm Desert, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells. Reach him at thomas.coulter@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Desert to start drawing 5 new council districts. How to weigh in