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Amendments taken August 16 to Senate Bill 594 (Glazer) will, among other things, consolidate the 2022 deadline for special districts to adopt  maps adjusting electoral division boundaries using the recently released census data.

The measure now requires all special districts to pass a board resolution adopting their updated maps by April 17, 2022 if their regular election is on the same day as the statewide November 2022 general election. If a special district’s regular election is on another day, the deadline will be 180 days prior to that election.

SB 594 is intended to address the unique circumstances of the pandemic-delayed 2020 United States Census. Accordingly, the bill includes a January 1, 2023 sunset date and would not apply to elections and map-making deadlines beyond 2022.

On August 12, the United States Census Bureau released the long-awaited 2020 census data. With this data, independent special districts with elections-by-division can begin redrawing election division lines in preparation for the next election. 

Under current law, certain special districts with “by-district” elections, as opposed to those with “at-large” elections, face a November 1, 2021 deadline to adopt their re-districted maps despite the months-long delay in the necessary U.S. Census data. For example, fire protection, recreation and park, and community services districts face this deadline.  Most other special districts currently have a map adoption date of not later than 180 days prior to their next general election.

Earlier in the year, CSDA supported amendments to SB 594 (Glazer) to address the truncated timeline for those districts with a November 1, 2021 map adoption date in light of the census being delayed, but the legislation’s progress stalled this summer in the State Assembly.  

As amended August 16, SB 594 pushes the November 1, 2021 deadline back five and a half months to April 17, 2022. However, in response to the concerns of county registrars, the new deadline applies to all special districts with a regular election that coincides with the November 8, 2022 statewide general election. Therefore, under SB 594, some special districts may be required to adopt their updated electoral divisions as many as 25 days sooner than existing law. Special districts looking to conduct by-division elections in 2022 should consult their legal counsel to assess the effect of SB 594 in anticipation of its potential enactment.

Elections officials requested the consolidated April 17, 2022 map adoption deadline to afford sufficient time to manage the growing number of by-district election contests. Recent legislation adjusted the dates for counties and general law cities to adopt their re-districting maps 205 days prior to a November general election and 174 days prior for a June election. CSDA advocated against any amendments that would reduce the time available for special districts to conduct a thorough map-making process, while supporting amendments to provide sufficient time for those special districts with the infeasible November 1, 2021 deadline.

CSDA will continue working with the State Legislature and other stakeholders to advocate for a smooth, accurate, and feasible redistricting timeline for all special districts. SB 594 is an urgency measure and would take effect immediately upon signature by the Governor. However, the bill must still be heard and voted on in the State Assembly and have its amendments concurred in by the State Senate before transmission to the Governor’s desk for signature or veto. Until such time, any special districts with a November 1, 2021 redistricting map adoption deadline should move forward expeditiously with map-making proceedings that would permit lawful elections to occur within their existing prescribed deadline.

Feedback Requested Related to CSDA’s Ongoing Advocacy

• If your special district conducts elections by division and faces a November 1 deadline to adopt your redistricted maps, CSDA wants to know the status of your redistricting effort.
• If your special district conducts elections by division and believes it cannot meet the proposed April 17, 2022 map adoption deadline for all special districts, CSDA would like to better understand your circumstances and related challenges.
• Finally, if your special district conducts elections by division and has received a letter from your county registrar communicating about the upcoming redistricting process, CSDA would like to receive a copy of that letter to better understand what our members are facing in the coming months.

Please email CSDA Legislative Representative Anthony Tannehill at anthonyt@csda.net to provide feedback on these key points of interest.