CITY OF YUBA, CA (MPG) - This November is the final transition to a district-based election. 

The Yuba City Council seats are divided into five districts, with Districts 4 and 5 seats up for election. 

Incumbent Wade Kircher runs unopposed for the open District 4 seat and three candidates are vying for District 5. 

Vincenzo Corazza, Toni Cole, and John Buckland face off for a seat on the dais.

The transition from at-large representation to district representation for Districts 1, 2, and 3 was in 2022. District 4 and 5 complete the changeover this November. 

“Under a district-based system of elections, the city is divided into districts, candidates may only run for the seat representing the district in which they are registered to vote, and voters may only vote for a candidate from their district,” said Diana Langley, city manager. 

Why do district elections matter?

With the transition to district-based elections, Yuba City residents will only be able to vote on City Council representation within their district. This means that rather than all residents voting on open councilmember seats every election year, they will only vote every four years for a candidate who represents their district. 

“One of the reasons for the transition is that district elections are consistent with the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA), which encourages district elections for communities with a significant population of minority groups,” Langley said. 

However, changing voting demographics is a long process. The city held five public hearings between September 2021 and February 2022, with the final one in February 2022. 

“You have finally reached the last hearing required by law,” Chaffin said then. 

Chaffin made it clear that the public had the opportunity to comment at any time during the five hearings. 

Councilmember Marc Boomgaarden agreed with the city attorney, saying the council remained transparent during districting. 

Additionally, the city attorney explained that in 2022, professional demographics district mapping tools were made available to the public “to submit maps if they thought the maps that were being submitted were not sufficient.”

Voter demographics do not matter for two more elected officials: the city clerk and treasurer. Yuba City accounting manager Diona Pope runs unopposed for the open city treasurer position. 

Yuba City City Clerk Administration Ciara Wakefield runs unopposed for the open city clerk position.