Western Placer Unified selects redistricting map for trustee area elections

The Western Placer Unified School District Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a new district trustee map this month, concluding a five-month process of changing how candidates will be elected. Prior to the change, the district elects the trustees using a hybrid version of an "at-large" system, letting registered voters of the entire jurisdiction elect candidates to the board in defined trustee areas. In August, the trustees voted to transition to a by-trustee area election, starting with the 2024 board election. This means each trustee must reside within the designated trustee-area boundary and only be selected by voters in that area. Under the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA), at-large elections are impermissible if they result in racially polarized voting. Transitioning from at-large to by-trustee area elections minimizes the potential for litigation against the district under the CVRA. District officials previously said they are taking this action as a proactive step. The district hired National Demographics Corporation as a demographer to try and balance the five trustee areas and help guide the district as it works to select a map. The board began with four trustee-area maps, each balanced and representing 11,455 residents. In November, the trustees revised three of the original four maps. The board voted in favor of the "Tan" map at its Dec. 5 meeting. The main feature of this map is that Old Lincoln is divided into two districts - Districts 3 and 5 – with the boundary being Old 65 Highway. The Sun City Lincoln Hills community, one of the more densely populated parts of the city, is also split between Districts 2 and 4. While some trustees looked at the trustee areas based on what they would represent, Trustee Jason Price took a different stance. "From the start of this process, I've not looked at this as my district but I've looked at this as this is the district that would represent Western Placer, whoever that person is," he said. "So I guess I'm seeing it from a slightly different lens. The tan map for me somewhat keeps the rural parts of the community whole, but what I like is it brings them down in to the more populated areas." Before the change, the three district trustees were required to live in the city of Lincoln boundaries and one trustee was required to live in Sheridan and one was required to live in Thermalands. "What's appealing to me about this is now the rural voice can make it more into the community," Price said. "It feels a little bit like the least disruptive options, but at the same time it provides pretty succinct areas." Moving forward, the district will hold by-trustee elections in two areas, Area 3 and Area 5, starting in November 2024. The district will hold by-trustee area elections in three areas – Areas 1, 2 and 4 – in the November 2026 election. After the board approved the resolution and selection of the Tan map, the district sends the plan to the Placer County Committee on School District Organization. From there, it goes to the registrar ahead of the 2024 election. For more information or to view a detailed version of the map, visit wpusd.org/our-district/leadership/school-board/board-redistricting.