Redistricting

The Marin Community College District (District) Board of Trustees changed the way that Board of Trustee members are elected. Previously, Board members were elected "at-large," where each member was elected by voters throughout Marin County. Under the new system, the Board members will be elected by-trustee-area; they will be required to live in the area they represent and will be elected only by the registered voters of that area. There are seven distinct trustee areas, one for each Board seat.

Maps

Area 1  |   Area 2  |   Area 3  |   Area 4  |   Area 5  |   Area 6  |   Area 7 (East)  |   Area 7 (West)

In an effort to ensure compliance with the California Voting Rights Act, the District’s move to By-Trustee-Area elections intends to address potential issues of underrepresentation among members of protected classes who live within the District’s boundaries.

The Map Scenario 3  was unanimously adopted by the Board of Trustees, on January 18, 2022. The Board of Governors unanimously approved the map on March 21, 2022. A recording approving the Marin Community District’s by-area trustee election may by the Board of Governor’s is available here.

Types of Elections

At-Large Elections
Candidates must reside within the District’s boundaries and are elected by all the voters who reside in the district’s boundaries. This is the method of election currently used by the District.

From-Trustee Area Elections
Candidates must reside in specific geographic areas within the District’s boundaries called “Trustee Areas” but are elected by all the voters who reside in the District’s boundaries.

By-Trustee Area Elections
Candidates must reside in specific Trustee Areas within the District’s boundaries and are elected only by the voters who reside in the same Trustee Areas. This is the type of election system the District will move to in time for the November 2022 election.

Process

On March 10, 2020, the Board of Trustees considered and adopted Resolution No. 2020-03, “A Resolution of the Marin Community College District, Adopting By-Trustee-Area Elections for Marin Community College District Board of Trustee Members.” The Board adopted the resolution unanimously by a vote of 7 to 0.

The District proceeded with the process under the Elections Code to transition to by-trustee-area elections with the following steps:

1. First public hearing before maps were drawn – September 14, 2021, 2 pm.
   View September 14, 2021 meeting recording
   Download MCCD Trustee Area Process Presentation (PDF)
2. Second public hearing before maps were drawn – September 28, 2021, 5 pm.
   View September 28, 2021 meeting recording
   Download MCCD Trustee Area Process Presentation (PDF)
3. Demographer drew maps for consideration, published at least seven days before the public hearing.
4. First public hearing on draft maps – November 9, 2021, 5 pm.
   View November 9, 2021 meeting recording
   Download Map Scenario 1 and Map Scenario 2
5. Second public hearing on draft maps – December 14, 2021, 5 pm.
   View December 14, 2021 meeting recording
   Download Map Scenario 1, Map Scenario 2, Map Scenario 3, and Map Scenario 4
6. During the fourth public hearing, the Board declined to vote to adopt one of the draft map options in order to consider additional map scenarios and input provided by the public. A fifth public hearing was calendared for January 18, 2022.
7. After the fifth public hearing, on January 18, 2022, the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to adopt Map Scenario 3.
   View January 18, 2022 meeting recording
8. After obtaining approval from the Marin County Committee on School District Organization, the District works with Marin County agencies to prepare for the 2022 election. On March 21, 2022, the Board of Governors approved the Marin Community College District by-area map.
   View March 21, 2022 Board of Governors’ meeting recording.

9. The District submitted shape files of the approved by-area map to the Marin County Elections Office on March 21, 2022

Mapping Factors Used In Forming Trustee Areas

Public agencies can or must consider these mapping factors when forming trustee areas:

• Each area shall contain nearly equal number of inhabitants.
• Drawn to comply with the Federal Voting Rights Act.
• No racial gerrymandering.
• Compact, contiguous and cohesive, as much as possible.
• Respect communities of interest, as much as possible.
• Follow topography and man-made and natural geographic features, as much as possible.
• Respect voters’ choices/incumbency, if possible.
• Planned future growth.
• Other local considerations (i.e., school district boundaries, locations of campuses).

Public Participation

The community was invited to attend as many meetings and public hearings as they liked. If they were unable to attend and wished to review and/or comment regarding mapping factors and/or proposed map options, they were encourage to submit their comments and feedback,in English or Spanish. All feedback was relayed to the Board prior to its discussions and adoption of a map option.

All public hearings took place during Marin Community College District Board meetings.

On September 14 and 28, 2021, the District held the first and second public hearings before maps are drawn. During these meetings, the District shared information about the process. In addition, the public was encouraged to provide feedback such as:

• “I would like to keep Neighborhood X and Neighborhood Y in the same trustee area.”
• “Road X would make sense as a trustee area boundary because it keeps communities of interest together.”
• “I believe all of Community Y should be in one area because it provides good representation.”

Move to By-Area District Timeline

Meeting Archives