On May 2, 2023, Lomita’s City Council adopted an ordinance establishing the City’s first City Council district map for district based-elections. The new five-district map can be reviewed online at LomitaCity.com/Districting-Selected-Map. Starting with the November 2024 election cycle, residents of Lomita will vote for one City Councilmember who lives in their district rather than voting for all City Councilmembers at large. Districts 2 and 4 are up for election in 2024, and Districts 1, 3 and 5 are up for election in 2026. The Council will continue to select the Mayor to serve a one-year term.
The City of Lomita began the districting process in August 2022 after receiving a letter challenging the City’s current election system and asserting that the City’s at-large election system violates the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). Many communities have received similar challenges, but to avoid costly litigation the City agreed to begin the transition process.
Through the process, the City held four public hearings and two community workshops to give residents an opportunity to learn more about why the City was considering the transition to district-based elections and to share their input on communities of interest and proposed maps. “Although we believe that Lomita has a long history of inclusion and community participation, we simply cannot afford the expense of lengthy litigation to fight this challenge. My colleagues and I on the City Council will continue to be concerned about the issues of the entire community. We are a small town and will always watch out for each other” said Mayor Barry Waite.
View the selected map and determine which district you reside in at LomitaCity.com/Districting-Selected-Map. For additional information regarding the districting process, visit LomitaCity.com/Districting.
