Glendale Considering a Switch to Elections by District

The Glendale City Council is considering switching how elections are done in the area for the upcoming election. 

While Glendale has traditionally used at-large elections, the city is discussing if it should switch to elections by district and a directly-elected mayor. This comes soon after Burbank switched its election system.  

What Would a New Election System Do?

At-large elections allow the entire city to vote on the same city council members, regardless of where they live in the area. On the other hand, elections by district allow the city residents to vote on specific city council candidates dependent on the district they live in. 

The latter is intended to give residents more control and power over choosing their representatives. 

In addition, Glendale is also considering switching to a directly-elected mayor instead of its current system, where the city council annually chooses one of its members to be mayor. 

If eventually passed, the combination of the two proposals would give the residents of Glendale a stronger voice in who is elected to represent the city. Elections by district allow for different constituencies in a city, often separated by race, income, or class, to vote for candidates that most accurately represent them versus everybody in Glendale. 

With elections by district becoming much more popular in local municipalities, Glendale will likely have to choose districts with public input. In addition, the city is seeking to change the City Charter to do this. 

We’ll make sure to update you if and when Glendale officially decides to switch its election system. 

Until then, keep up with BOMA on the Frontline for the latest news in the Greater Los Angeles area.