Cypress is slated to vote Wednesday on a plan to switch to by-district elections.
During that special meeting on Jan. 10, city leaders are set to discuss whether to change to an election system where voters would choose only one councilmember who lives in their district every four years, commencing with the November 2024 election.
The vote was originally scheduled for Monday, Jan. 8, but pushed back due to Councilmember David Burke’s absence, said Mayor Scott Minikus.
Cypress now has an at-large election system, where voters decide on all five council seats, and has resisted legal efforts to change even as a growing number of Orange County cities have made the switch in recent years.
Minikus encouraged residents to show up to Wednesday’s meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Civic Center. After reading aloud an email from a resident who expressed disapproval of by-district elections, Minikus said if the city approves the change, he fears the community is largely not going to be aware until the 2024 election occurs.
“I’m kind of glad this got delayed,” said Minikus. “Because I would really like for all of you here in the audience as well as anybody at home hearing us live to reach out to members in the community and have them show up here on Wednesday night so they can have a chance to voice their opinions on this.”
Although 37% of Cypress’ 50,000 residents are Asian American, Malibu-based attorney Kevin Shenkman said in 2021, the city has not had an Asian American on the council for more than 10 years.
Shenkman filed a lawsuit in 2022 on behalf of the voting rights group Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and residents Kathryn Shapiro and Malini Nagpal, who routinely speak at City Council meetings. The lawsuit alleged that Cypress’ election system violates the California Voting Rights Act which disallows at-large elections that dilute the voting power of minority populations in local government races; in Cypress’ case, Asian American voters.
“The imposition of at-large elections by the City of Cypress has resulted in vote dilution for Asian American residents and has denied them effective political participation in elections to the Cypress City Council,” Shenkman said in his complaint.
During Wednesday’s special meeting, the City Council will consider settling that lawsuit by requesting the court accept its plans to transition to a by-district election system for its council members, per the agenda.
“The agreement gives the city the ability to work with the community to establish the boundaries of the five districts, rather than have a court dictate the districts,” the agenda says.
The agreement requires plaintiffs to participate in the map selection process, according to the staff report, and allows the city to transition back to at-large districts should California law change to permit that. It does not change councilmembers’ term limits.
The City Council will meet at 6 p.m. at 5275 Orange Ave. to discuss the transition. Residents can attend the meeting in person or virtually.
