City Rejects At-Large Mayoral Elections

The City of Santa Barbara rejected the Grand Jury’s recommendation that voters be given the choice to approve whether to elect their mayor and vice-mayor at large and the rest of the council members by district. The jury said the new system could better reflect Santa Barbara’s demographic diversity, but City Hall responded that city advisory boards and commissions give voice to these groups and that steps were being taken to remove obstacles preventing the less affluent – or less politically connected – from running for office.