The Saugus Union School Board voted unanimously Tuesday evening move its elections from odd years to even years – coinciding with the presidential and gubernatorial elections, when more people vote.
District officials said the switch is needed to settle a voting rights lawsuit filed in May. The suit, brought by local activist Jim Soliz – who also sued COC and the city – seeks to compel the Saugus District to “implement district-based elections or other alternative relief” to increase Latino participation.
The Saugus school board previously voted to scrap its at-large system in favor of district-based elections.
Tuesday’s vote was to ask the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to consolidate Saugus school board elections with even-year general elections, staring with a board election in November 2016. The supervisors have the final say.
Jim Soliz
Accompanying the vote was a separate housekeeping measure to cancel this November’s election, which the board also voted to do. The cancellation and consolidation would have the effect of adding one year to each current board member’s four-year term.
Board members who were up for election in November 2015 would instead see their terms expire in November 2016, while those whose terms otherwise expire in November 2017 would get a one-year extension to November 2018, if the Board of Supervisors gives its consent.
There’s no guarantee that will happen. The county Registrar-Recorder has generally opposed adding races to the even-year general election ballot for reasons relating to staffing and the size of the ballot.
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3 Comments
What the article fails to mention is that the board previously voted to hold the election in November. This was a complete surrender to the plaintiff Jim Soliz and his slip and fall attorney Kevin Shenkman. The board refuses to stand on principle. I was disappointed.
This is good news! A voice for SCL Latinos is long overdue! ;-)
In case Sanchez-Fraser has not noticed there is a Latin on the Hart board, city council, and the Saugus board. No one in this valley has created more chaos than Fraser and Soliz. They should be ashamed of themselves.