South OC cities forge ahead on district elections

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Just last year, Orange County only had four cities with district elections, but the 2018 elections will at least double that amount. And two cities that plan to enact such a voting method are a reflection of the new Orange County. Last week, Lake Forest approved a map that would create five districts, including one that would have a near-majority of Latinos. Meanwhile, Mission Viejo plans to consider the move after receiving a letter from Kevin Shenkman, which has either threatened legal action or sued cities across California for not enacting district elections to better reflect the demographic makeup of the city. Both Lake Forest and Mission Viejo are in South County, historically thought as white, middle-class suburbs with little diversity, but that's no longer the case. But are district elections really needed for two cities with a surprising amount of diversity on the dais in the past?

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Producer:

Sarah Sweeney