RCV News: SB 1164 Could Give Davis a Path Back to At-Large Council Elections

Senate Bill 1164, awaiting Governor Newsom's signature, would revise the California Voting Rights Act to recognize alternatives to single-member districts, opening a path for cities like Davis to adopt proportional ranked choice voting citywide. The Vanguard reports that Davis has seen competition collapse since switching to district elections in 2020, with research from Preston Jordan finding roughly 8 percent of at-large seats uncontested compared to 38 percent under districts. Building on the California Supreme Court's 2023 Pico v. Santa Monica decision, the piece argues proportional RCV could protect minority voting power while restoring citywide participation and contested races.

Read the full piece at the Davis Vanguard for more details.