A Better Way for O.C. Cities

Accurate statistics on the growth of Orange County’s minority community over the last decade will not be available until the 1990 federal census is completed. But there is no question that many more Latinos, Asians and blacks are visible in cities around the county--except on the councils and special district boards of government.

A group of Westminster residents wants to change that with a petition drive to switch to district rather than citywide balloting for City Council posts.

As it now stands, in all but 20 of California’s 444 cities, city council members are elected citywide rather than by districts, even in some cities that are divided into districts or wards. Candidates must live in the areas they seek to represent, but balloting is citywide. And citywide elections pose a built-in disadvantage for minority residents seeking office.

A federal court recently recognized that in ruling against the city of Watsonville in a lawsuit alleging that citywide elections help keep Latinos from gaining political power. The court called citywide elections “ubiquitous” discrimination and noted that citywide balloting diluted the political power of Watsonville’s Latino population. The condition exists in many other cities.

Increasing minority representation in elected office is just one goal of the petition effort in Westminster. Advocates of district elections also contend that the switch will make government more responsive to voters, reduce the costs of elections, weaken the influence of special-interest groups and political consultants on the local political process and reduce the costs of running for office, which, in some local races, reach obscene amounts. Those too are worthy goals.

But in the face of the recent federal court decision, and the need for fairness in representation, it is time for all Orange County cities with growing minority populations to assess the need for switching to district elections. Westminster may be the first, but it should not be the last.