Voters to Decide if the City of Merced Should Change its Voting System

November 1, 2014 /

Barragan said if Measure T does not pass, and the electoral system does not change, Merced could still find itself in hot water. The city could be sued by MALDEF or any other interested party if found in violation of the CVRA. Barragan could not confirm or deny that MALDEF would sue if Measure T fails.

Barragan also made it a point to say MALDEF was acting on behalf of Merced voters who had approached the organization and that none of the voters would stand to benefit financially from any legal action.

Gloria Sandoval, a high school counselor at Golden Valley High School, says she is in support of switching to by-district election.

“I support it,” she said. “If the people that are elected to office [city council members] were truly public servants, they would have figured out by looking at each other that they were not reflective of the community.”

She is hopeful that by redrawing the city into districts, it will encourage more people to run for elected public office and could boost voter turnout.

Councilmember Belluomini opposes Measure T, saying the current proposal to elect one candidate from one of each of the six districts should be changed to two candidates from three districts.

A young Merced voter, Alyssa Castro, said she thinks the city council does not reflect Merced residents.

“I don’t feel like the council is connected with its constituents because they are mostly older, wealthier white guys,” said Castro.

She hopes that a change in the election system will help address what she sees as “a lack of representation in age, race, and economic background on the city council.”

Benny Escobedo, a second year student at UC Merced, thinks that the proposed division of the city into district by Measure T would reflect the current reality of Merced.

“Merced as it is isn’t a whole, it has already been split just without lines,” he said.

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