PEARBLOSSOM — The Keppel Union School District will pay $27,000 to attorney Kevin Shenkman on behalf of his client, Southwest Voter Registration Project, and its members who live within the District’s boundaries.
Shenkman sent the District a letter via certified mail dated Sept. 26, alleging that Keppel’s current at-large election system is racially polarized and dilutes the minority vote and therefore violates the California Voting Rights Act.
“The CVRA disfavors the use of so-called ‘at-large’ voting — an election method that permits voters of an entire jurisdiction to elect candidates to each open seat,” Shenkman wrote.
The law allows him to collect up to $30,000 for each letter he sends.
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Keppel presumably could have saved the $27,000. The Board’s Feb. 15 agenda included an item to initiate a transition to a by-trustee area election system starting with last year’s election. However, that action item was pulled from the agenda. The Board did not take it up again until after it received Shenkman’s letter.
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Under a by-trustee area election system, only registered voters who live within the designated trustee area can vote for a candidate who must also live in the area.
Shenkman had 45 days after sending the Sept. 26 letter before he could file an action against the District. That safe harbor period gave the District until Nov. 10 to adopt a resolution expressing its intent to transition to a by-trustee area election system.
On Nov. 9, at a special meeting, Keppel’s Board adopted Resolution 2022-23-003 declaring its intent to transition to a by-trustee area election system in time for the November 2024 Board election.
The Board’s adoption of the resolution extended the safe harbor time frame for avoiding a lawsuit by 90 days, or until Feb. 7. However, that was still not enough time for the District to complete the transition.
On Tuesday, the Board unanimously approved the $27,000 settlement agreement with Shenkman to extend the time period to 180 days from Nov. 9, when the Board adopted Resolution 2022-23-03. That will give Keppel until May 8 to conduct public outreach and receive public input.
The District is required to hold four public hearings, including two pre-map public hearings, to collect input regarding the composition of the proposed new trustee areas and the timing of elections.
The pre-map public hearings were held, on Nov. 15 and Dec. 13. The draft maps were released, on Jan. 10.
The three proposed maps divide Keppel’s estimated population of 21,854 people into five relatively equal trustee areas. Each of the maps, designated as tan, green or orange, preserves the five current Board members seats with no overlap.
The trustee areas for newly elected trustees Andrew Ramirez, Board Clerk Alma Rodriguez and Blanca Nava would be up for election, in November 2026. The trustee areas for Board President Waunette Cullors and Vice President Dominique Ballante would be up for election, in November 2024.
The Board held the first draft maps public hearing, on Tuesday. Douglas Johnson of National Demographics Corporation did a presentation prior to the public hearing.
The next public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 7. The Board is scheduled to select a final map choice at the March 21 meeting. The map then goes to the Los Angeles Committee on School District Organization, which will hold a public hearing for final approval.
