At its first city council meeting for 2019, the city of Claremont has invited National Demographic Corporation (NDC) to present information on transitioning to district-based elections in Claremont.

Currently, the five council members elected to council are permitted to live anywhere in the city. A district-based system would require candidates to run within the districts where they reside.

The first public meeting on this will take place at the regularly scheduled council meeting on Tuesday, January 8 in council chambers, 225 W. Second St., at Claremont City Hall. This meeting is also the first formal gathering of the new council, which includes incumbents Corey Calaycay and Larry Schroeder and newcomers Jed Leano, Ed Reece and Jennifer Stark.

The city will also host two public workshops on Sunday, January 13 to get feedback and give instructions on how to draft and submit a district boundary map for consideration. The first is at 1 p.m. at the Blaisdell Center (440 S. College Ave.); the second is at 4 p.m. at the Hughes Center (1700 Danbury Rd.)

A second public hearing is set for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 17 in the council chambers to collect input from residents and the council on options for drafting the proposed district boundaries.

In 2020, LA County will transition from traditional polling places to new vote centers. This new model will provide voters with an 11-day voting period by allowing voters to submit ballots at any vote center in Los Angeles County.

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk is seeking input from the community on where the county should place vote centers for the 2020 election cycle.

Residents are invited to weigh in at a community meeting on Wednesday, January 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hughes Community Center, 1700 Danbury Rd., Claremont. For more information, visit lavote.net.

—Kathryn Dunn

editor@claremont-courier.com