Democracy Grows in Sonoma, Part 1

By Jim Bohar 

The City Council voted to change the Sonoma voting process for electing City Council members from at-large (city-wide representation)  to district elections beginning this year. The voters will be divided into five districts, each having their own Council Member. 

How will this change the election for City Council on November 3, 2026?  Voters will elect one member to the City Council from districts  1,3 & 5. 

By my own observations, district voting is a big  civic upgrade in a town like Sonoma. There are multiple advantages over the current at-large system: 

1.  District council members will understand & represent the particular concerns of their constituency more effectively — traffic, noise, safety, creeping commercialism into residential neighborhoods, a balance between residential, tourism, and business development, etc.; and the concerns of the whole city as well.
2.  Each district will organize to provide leadership in identifying the best qualified candidate(s)
3.  Competition among each district’s  candidates will  provide greater variety of viewpoints for residents’ consideration.  For example: in fall 2025, two candidates whose terms had expired (Lowe & Ding), ran unopposed and were reappointed unchallenged. It appears that there was scant public awareness of this voting opportunity.
4. While a candidate’s general experience and capability are important, district voting will  lend more weight and awareness to the actual issues concerning their voters.
5.  District voting works best when candidates emerge from the community, not from ambition alone.
6. While voter participation in elections Is important (in the 2024 Council     election, voter turnout was 87% of the 7,696 ballots issued)  —   equally or more important, meaningful civic participation would most   likely increase with more active community/district organization.

City officials expressed their opinions about the change to district voting in an article in the December 11, 2024 Index Tribune.

David Guhin, City Manager:  “district-based elections have benefited in various ways” …..”cities can face lawsuits if their at- large system is deemed to hinder the ability of minority communities to elect candidates of their choice.”…..”district based elections could also ensure that diverse neighborhoods and communities within a city have direct representation on the city council. This could lead to more equitable decision-making that reflects the needs and priorities all residents.” 

Council member Sandra Lowe: “ Ultimately, I think we will embrace a process which highlights our uniqueness in our neighborhoods as well as our community as a city”. 

Council  member John Gurney expressed concern for “ an unintended consequence” (of the California Voting Rights  Act). 

A map provided by the City is shown here, and can be viewed on the City’s website.  In order for each resident to determine their own district, they are directed to insert their address in the City website District Voting section. 

District voting only delivers on its promise if voters in each district organize deliberately. 

Districts don’t automatically produce effective representation. PEOPLE DO.                  

There is scant  information available from the City to enable the districts to organize effectively.  We are awaiting  those  tools from the City. 

Part 2, future edition: some suggestions on organizing district voting. 

James Bohar, a Sonoma resident for 27 years, had his career in commercial real estate, brokerage, development, and investment. He served five years on the Sonoma Planning Commission. Advisor to the cities of Emeryville and Berkeley on the revision of zoning and General Plan.