The Civic Pride Volunteer Committee is on the hunt for the 2023 Holiday Yard of the Month to be named December 11. Read article for details. Pictured above are last year’s winners of the 2022 “Holiday Yard of the Month”, Sheila and Bob Mumme’s home on Shady Lane. Photo credit Linda Nunes.
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By Linda Nunes
Our Civic Pride Volunteer Committee will be selecting a “Holiday Yard of the Month” on December 11! This gives you two weekends in December, December 2-3 & December 9-10 to get your decorating completed.
The Holiday “Yard of the Month” will be chosen from decorated homes and yards within the entire Fillmore community. The Civic Pride Committee is putting out a “call” to all be creative and clever, and to get their decorating done early, so a photo of the winner and a list of “honorable mentions” may be put in the Gazette. People can then enjoy a tour of the neighborhoods.
We invite you to send your suggestions for best decorated yard by email to Linda Nunes at lsnunes1411@gmail.com, before the 11th. A member of the committee will be making the selection by December 11th.
The award will be a $50 gift certificate to Otto and Sons Nursery. The Klittich Family have generously continued this award support over the years and award winners always express their excited anticipation to explore the nursery.

For more details & info visit https://www.fillmoreca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/575/Yellow-Map-PDF?bidId=.
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For more details & info visit https://www.fillmoreca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/576/Green-Map-PDF?bidId=.
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For more details & info visit https://www.fillmoreca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/577/Orange-Map-PDF?bidId=.S
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Courtesy https://www.fillmoreca.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=49

FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA – November 7, 2023–In a significant development, the draft district elections maps are now accessible for public review. The City invites residents to actively engage in this democratic process by examining the proposed maps and providing valuable feedback.

The online viewer link, where you can explore the draft district elections maps, online. Additionally, detailed maps are available for viewing and download at the following links:

Yellow Map – pictured below; More details visit https://www.fillmoreca.gov/Document Center/View/575/Yellow-Map-PDF?bidId=
Green Map – pictured below; More details visit https://www.fillmoreca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/576/Green-Map-PDF?bidId=
Orange Map – pictured below; More details visit https://www.fillmoreca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/577/Orange-Map-PDF?bidId=
Public participation is crucial to ensuring fair and representative districting. Residents are encouraged to voice their opinions, concerns, and suggestions regarding the proposed maps. Your input will play a vital role in shaping the future of our community.

Visit the Online map viewer can be access by clicking here to explore the draft district elections maps and make your voice heard. Let’s work together to create a districting plan that reflects the diversity and interests of our community.
Please visit www.fillmoreca.gov and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.
****

Draft District Elections Maps Available for Public Viewing

Pictured above the Maps District Elections can be courtesy https://ndcresearch.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=eb95dbdd7....

All maps

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

City of Fillmore
Draft District Elections Maps Available for Public Viewing
FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA – November 7, 2023–In a significant development, the draft district elections maps are now accessible for public review. The City invites residents to actively engage in this democratic process by examining the proposed maps and providing valuable feedback.

The online viewer link, where you can explore the draft district elections maps, online. Additionally, detailed maps are available for viewing and download at the following links:

Yellow Map – pictured below – https://www.fillmoreca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/575/Yellow-Map-PDF?bidId=
Green Map – pictured below - https://www.fillmoreca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/576/Green-Map-PDF?bidId=
Orange Map – pictured below - https://www.fillmoreca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/577/Orange-Map-PDF?bidId=
Public participation is crucial to ensuring fair and representative districting. Residents are encouraged to voice their opinions, concerns, and suggestions regarding the proposed maps. Your input will play a vital role in shaping the future of our community.

Visit the Online map viewer can be access by clicking here to explore the draft district elections maps and make your voice heard. Let's work together to create a districting plan that reflects the diversity and interests of our community.
Please visit www.fillmoreca.gov and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.
Community Contact:

Name: Erika Herrera-Terriquez
Title: Assistant City Manager
Phone: 805-946-1712
Email: eherrera@fillmoreca.gov

The Grand Marshals and guest speakers were given certificates of recognition and plaques for their contributions. Pictured (l-r) at the Veterans Day ceremony are Fillmore Mayor Pro Tem Christina Villasenor, with Grand Marshals Ismael Alonzo and Victor Westerberg, and guest speaker former Police Chief and Marine veteran Richard “Dick” Diaz., Fillmore Knights of Columbus Grand Knight Bob Gradias and Supervisor Kelly Long’s Representative Manuel Minjares. Inset, Fillmore VFW leading the parade down Central Avenue. Inset photo credit Angel Esquivel-AE News.
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Pictured are classic cars which carried Fillmore and Piru Veterans down Central Avenue in this year’s parade and future cadets marching to close out the parade with the Fillmore Police & Fire Departments following. Thank you for serving your country. Photo credit Angel Esquivel-AE News. One of the traditions was the presentation of each branch of service flag and medley. As each branch was recognized, the veterans of that branch stood and saluted as the medley played.
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The Veterans Day Celebration was a huge success as the community paid homage to our local heroes on Friday, November 10th and Saturday, November 11th. The celebration began with a Concert at the Park at City Park on Friday evening. Mack and D started the night captivating the crowd of over 150 with their blend of pop, country, blues, and requests. The headliner was Ventura County’s own “Los Amigos” and they performed a variety of music from rock, cumbia, jazz, and country. Los Amigos are a talented troupe of professional musicians who have played with various artists over the years. Their style of music had the crowd jumping and dancing over the evening.

On Saturday, the Veterans Day Parade started with the Annual Veterans Day Parade hosted by the Fillmore Lions Club. Over 70 Veterans rode in classic cars and corvettes waving at the crowd as they cheered each veteran when they drove by. This year’s Grand Marshals were Victor Westerberg and Ismael Alonzo. Victor and Ismael are long time members of the Fillmore-Piru Veterans of Foreign War. Their dedication and commitment to the members are extraordinary as they work to provide services and information to our local veterans.

The parade was followed by the Annual Veterans Day Ceremony at Fillmore Middle School. The guest speaker was former Police Chief and Marine Veteran Richard “Dick” Diaz. Mr. Diaz shared his experiences serving in Viet Nam. He also discussed the importance of honoring and remembering our Veterans for their commitment and sacrifices to keep our country free. Many of our Veterans still experience physical and mental challenges and supporting them is an essential need to provide the care they need.

Supervisor Kelly Long’s Representative Manuel Minjares, and Fillmore Mayor Pro Tem Christina Villasenor were on hand to present certificates of recognition to Victor, Ismael, and Richard. The Fillmore Knights of Columbus Grand Knight, Bob Gradias presented them with plaques for their contributions.

One of the traditions was the presentation of each branch of service’s flags and medley. As each branch was recognized, the Veterans of their branch stood and saluted, many with tears running down their cheeks.

Music and sound were provided by Danny Ibarra and Danny Rodriguez for both events.

A delicious luncheon BBQ was served to over 200 guests attending the ceremony. Colette Golson and her staff provided a full coarse meal and dessert. Congratulations to Colette for providing such a wonderful meal. And, yes, Vets ate for free!
Kudos to the Veterans Day Committee for their hard work in making this such a success.

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Courtesy https://www.blog.fillmoreusd.org/fillmore-unified-school-district-blog/2...

Our updated renderings show the exterior design for our new FHS Athletic Complex. We still need to determine the colors and the image on the west side of the building that will be facing the stadium. Our architects are working to finish the interior design and plan for the required solar power installation. This plan set is currently being costed to ensure that we are within the School Board’s funding allocation for this facility.
Please join us on Monday, November 13, for a FHS Athletic Complex Public Meeting at the Fillmore High School Library at 6p.m. until 7p.m. to discuss plans for the new complex. More information at blog.fillmoreusd.org.

Richard “Dick” Diaz

Richard “Dick” Diaz was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the oldest of ten. When he was 10 years old his father, a career Submarine Sailor, was transferred to San Diego where Dick attended grades 4-12 in National City, graduating from Sweetwater Union High School in 1965.

After graduation Dick enlisted in the Marine Corps for 4 years. His Basic Training was at MCRD San Diego and Camp Pendleton. After a short time in Memphis, Tennessee he was stationed at MCAS El Toro in Irvine, California, with Third Marine Air Wing VMGR 352 as an aircraft First Mechanic on a KC130F Hercules Air Refueler/Transport Aircraft.

VMGR 352 made frequent Transpacific flights to Vietnam continuously performing in-air refueling along the way for Marine Corps F-4 Phantom fighter jets making their way to Vietnam. He was a First Mechanic on the flight crew on those flights. While on operations within Vietnam, their mission was either in-air refueling bomb laden F-4’s over the Gulf of Tonkin or transporting troops and equipment to various bases, Chu Lai, Dong Ha, Phu Bai, and Da Nang. He logged over 1,000 flight hours as a flight crew member onboard the KC130F.

While in Vietnam during 1967-1968, Dick was exposed to Agent Orange and in 1981 was diagnosed with Bladder Cancer. But it was not until December 2021 through a court order that the Veterans Administration recognized Bladder Cancer as directly associated with Disabilities or Death of Vietnam Veterans exposed to Agent Orange. In 2022, he was classified by the Veterans Administration as having disabilities associated with his service in Vietnam and exposure to Agent Orange.
Dick started his law enforcement career with the Orange Police Department after his service in the Marine Corps. His law enforcement career was from October 10, 1969-March 25, 2006. During that time, Dick served with the Orange Police Department, Signal Hill Police Department, Fillmore Police Department and Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. Dick was the police chief here in Fillmore.

He and his wife Carolyn live in Fillmore, and have five children, 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

USMC Active January 10, 1966-October 10, 1969

USMC Inactive Reserves October 10, 1969-January 10, 1971

Sergeant E5 MOS 6314 Jet Engine Mechanic/Flight Crew KC 130F Air Refueler/Transport Aircraftid.

This past Saturday, November 4th, the Sophomores Fillmore Raiders defeated Calabasas Gold claiming the D2 Championship game. Above is the team celebrating after their win.
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Congratulations to our Sophomore Fillmore Raiders team for winning the D2 championship against Calabasas Gold. This game is what every little boy dreams of when they take the field and became an instant classic for Raiders’ history.
It was a massive back and forth battle that was hard fought the entire time. Raiders took a few huge injuries early in the game that slowed their offense a bit. But once those players worked through their injuries, it was game on. The game ended in the 4th quarter tied 8-8.

Calabasas started with the ball going into overtime with a chance to win it. Raiders defense did NOT let that happen and came up with hard fought stops. Raiders took possession of the ball and had a penalty that pushed them back further. Every down, they ran hard for a positive gain. It was 4th and Goal on the 3-yard line. Game was tied 8-8 in overtime. Do or die and they took it in for a TOUCHDOWN!

Players shouted. Coaches celebrated. It was a sight to behold for a team that only won 1 game last year. This turnaround from last season to winning it in overtime was the kind of story that movies are made of. So once again, congratulations to our Fillmore Raiders!

Ismael Alonzo
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Ismael Alonzo was inducted into the Army on September 7, 1965, where he went to Basic Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. His friend Tony Cervantez Sr. went with him. Tony also lived in Fillmore. In November 1965, he went to Fort Ord Ca. for advanced Infantry training as a SML vehicle driver.

On February 4, 1966, Ismael was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Division (Black Lions), located in Phuac Vinh, Viet Nam, 38 miles northeast of Saigon. The 28th Division had gone to Viet Nam in 1965 and his troop was replacing the first phase of combat soldiers. He was assigned to Supply and was given the task of replacing the radio operator for the platoon. Ismael would be with the 28th Division when they went out on missions. He oversaw supply and demand in the front lines. He spent many hours in helicopters securing what was needed. Sometimes in rough areas to land in landing zones because of the terrain.

Ismael was awarded several medals including the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Viet Nam Service Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Republic of Viet Nam Campaign Ribbon, and the Sharpshooter Badge. He was discharged on September 7, 1967, as an E-4 Specialist.
Ismael has been a member of the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) since 1990. You will see him and other members of VFW at ceremonies and parades throughout Fillmore and Piru.

He was born in Mexico, but his family settled in San Antonio, Texas for five years before moving to Santa Paula where the family worked in agriculture. He graduated from Santa Paula High School in 1965.
Ismael has been married to Rosa Cabral Alonzo since 1968. They have three children, Tony, Irene, and Adam. There are eight grandchildren, two adopted grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. They have lived in Fillmore since 1990.

From the Publisher

A hero appeared at the October 26 City Council meeting. In his 2000-plus word address to the Council, I believe he answers the recent shakedown letter threatening to sue Fillmore to force compliance with the California Voting Rights Act, costing us at least $37,000. His name is Paul Conrad Copley. He is Ventura County Coordinator for the California Ranked Choice Voting Institute.

He believes this threat is an abuse of the CVRA and that the solution here is Proportional Ranked Choice Voting. After a thorough study of Fillmore's voting system, he "strongly urges the city to pursue the settlement outlined in his third described option." [online].

Mr. Copley's printed statement is far too long to include in its entirety this week, so it has been posted online at www.FillmoreGazette.com. I urge everyone to read it. Here is a small part:

"Kevin Shenkman, the most experienced and aggressive attorney in the state pursuing CVRA litigation, contacted the city of Fillmore, asked for demographic information and information about the City Council, and, upon reviewing the data, decided not to take any action against Fillmore. It can be speculated that some of the attorneys in California sending CVRA threat letters are looking for a quick payday and don’t intend to sue if the city calls their bluff. Kevin Shenkman is not one such attorney. He does his homework, and he truly believes in the CVRA and the work he is doing. He doesn’t bluff, and he doesn’t blow smoke. He would likely have sent a CVRA threat letter if he felt there was a violation worthy of a potential lawsuit. Options: Given the established background information and the need for the City Council to decide, I would like to enumerate three options facing the City of Fillmore for the benefit of the City Council, its staff, and the residents: Concede, Resist, or Settle."

***

Distinguished Council Members and Staff,

Thank you for taking the time to hear and receive my public comments today and for your open
and thoughtful manner in addressing this admittedly stressful process. As many have
commented, I don’t envy your position and the decisions you will have to make in the coming
weeks and months, and I hope that whatever path you choose works well for the citizens of
Fillmore and the Fillmore City Council.

I acknowledge that I am not a resident of Fillmore. I live in Oak Park, a small unincorporated
community in the eastern part of Ventura County, about 30 minutes south of here through the
winding orchards. When my boys were babies, I used to take long drives through the farming
communities, including Fillmore, so that they would nap and I would have something peaceful
and beautiful to stare at while I wandered aimlessly through Ventura County. I hold a special
place in my heart for small towns, and I’m very interested in the things happening in our County.
When I read about Fillmore’s intention to move to districts due to a CVRA threat letter in the
Ventura County Star, it piqued my interest as I volunteer for an election reform nonprofit, The
California Ranked Choice Voting Institute, and have a particular passion for voting reform. I
believe that our current voting systems are at the root of many of our political problems and that
reform is helpful and necessary in most cases.

It is my opinion, and the stated opinion of the group that I volunteer with, that the California
Voting Rights Act is an extremely important and beneficial law that has helped
underrepresented groups in California attain political power and representation in many areas
where they had previously been unable to win seats as a result of Plurality At-Large (PAL)
electoral systems. The district transition has often helped disenfranchised groups, especially
Latinos, achieve much-deserved representation. These are important wins and justify the
existence of the CVRA and the need for its enforcement.

However, I believe the CVRA can be abused, and not every city is served by the transition to
districts. Plurality At-Large is an inherently flawed system, but, like a broken clock, it
occasionally gets things right. Fillmore’s Plurality At-Large system has recently produced
representation that aligns with its California Voting Age Population, or CVAP, but historically it
has not. Therefore, I propose that the best solution for providing just representation and bringing
the city into compliance with the California Voting Rights Act is a Proportional At-Large system,
such as Proportional Ranked Choice Voting.

There are several options the city could take in responding to the CVRA threat letter, but before
we address those options, let’s establish a little background to give perspective to the available
options.

Important Background Items:
● The City may request a 90-day extension to the timeline in accordance with California
Elections Code 10010(e)(3)(C)
○ Any reasonable attorney should grant this extension, and doing so would allow
the city more time to carefully evaluate its options, draw maps, or seek a
settlement with the plaintiff.
● The recent California State Supreme Court decision regarding Pico Neighborhood
Association v. City of Santa Monica overturned the city’s appeal victory, but in doing so, it
added an important condition requiring that the plaintiffs pursuing a CVRA case not only
demonstrate “racially polarized voting,” but now must also demonstrate “voting dilution.”
○ This adds additional research and cost to prosecuting and defending a CVRA
case by raising requirements that the plaintiff must prove.
○ Specifically, the plaintiffs must show that there is a system that would improve the
situation for the injured group.
● Fillmore’s California Voting Age Population, or CVAP, is roughly two-thirds Latino and
one-third white. Given that the injured party in this CVRA threat letter has a 2:1 majority
over the next largest group, it sets a high bar to prove there has been voting dilution.
○ While historically underrepresented, Latino’s lack of representation does not
appear to be due to the mathematical inability to elect representatives.
○ If Latino voter turnout were higher than 50%, based on Fillmore’s CVAP statistics,
they would have the voting power to elect all five seats and all other elected
offices under a Plurality At-Large system.
● On October 24th, Mr. Leonard of VP National Demographics Corporation stated that no
city in California has successfully fought a CVRA letter and that all other cities in Ventura
County have moved to districts. However, many cities and governing bodies have
resisted CVRA threat letters, and in many cases, they never hear back from the attorney.
A few examples are:
○ Port Hueneme (no CVRA threat letter, still using PAL)
○ Ojai (conceded, immediately voted to dissolve districts)
○ Richmond, CA (refused)
○ Fort Bragg, CA (settled)
○ Palo Alto School District (refused)
○ San Luis Obispo (refused, received another letter)
○ Burbank (refused, entering litigation)
○ Santa Monica (refused, litigating)
● The attorney who issued the CVRA threat letter to Fillmore has sent a number of threat
letters to different cities, resulting in cities conceding and transitioning to districts.
Recently, he sent a nearly identical threat letter to the one Fillmore received to the city of
Burbank. The Burbank city council voted unanimously to ignore the letter and transition
their city to a Proportional System.
○ Mr. Dominguez has filed suit (Nicholas Gutierrez v. City of Burbank; Case No.:
23STCV25587), and the parties will meet soon for their first hearing.
● Kevin Shenkman, the most experienced and aggressive attorney in the state pursuing
CVRA litigation, contacted the city of Fillmore, asked for demographic information and
information about the City Council, and, upon reviewing the data, decided not to take
any action against Fillmore.
○ It can be speculated that some of the attorneys in California sending CVRA threat
letters are looking for a quick payday and don’t intend to sue if the city calls their
bluff. Kevin Shenkman is not one such attorney.
○ He does his homework, and he truly believes in the CVRA and the work he is
doing. He doesn’t bluff, and he doesn’t blow smoke.
○ He would likely have sent a CVRA threat letter if he felt there was a violation
worthy of a potential lawsuit.
Options:

Given the established background information and the need for the City Council to decide, I
would like to enumerate three options facing the City of Fillmore for the benefit of the City
Council, its staff, and the residents: Concede, Resist, or Settle.
Option A: Concede

In option A, the city chooses to concede to the threat letter sent by Attorney Jason Dominguez
and moves forward with district elections beginning in 2024. The City pays Mr. Dominguez
roughly $37,000 to cover his “fees,” hires a demographer to draw up maps for the city’s
proposed districts, and absorbs an array of additional costs that come about as a result of
moving to district elections. All told, it can easily cost $100,000 to make the initial transition.
Once transitioning to districts, the city will face a redistricting process after every census and the
associated costs involved with such a process.
Aside from the costs associated with the transition to districts, the city must contend with the
possibility of uncontested elections or elections where no candidate can be found to represent a
district. In similar circumstances, small towns forced to move to districts have trouble fielding
candidates and have uncontested races 30% of the time. This is not good for voters and not
good for democracy.

If nobody comes forward seeking office, a district is left with no candidates, and a representative
has to be appointed.
So, while conceding and moving to districts might protect the city of Fillmore from future CVRA
threat letters, it is not necessarily in the best interest of the City, its voters, or its budget.
Option B: Resist
In Option B, the city decides to contest Mr. Dominguez’s CVRA threat letter and responds with a
stern letter from the city’s attorney stating that the city does not believe that it is in violation of
the California Voting Rights Act and asks Mr. Dominguez to provide further details and analysis
into the plaintiff’s claim. This letter could include that Kevin Shenkman, a noted CVRA lawyer
with a very successful track record, looked into Fillmore’s situation and decided there was no
case.

The city could argue that given the current makeup of the City Council and the demographic
composition of the City’s CVAP, there is no case to be made that the injured party is unable to
achieve acceptable levels of representation on the council. Latinos make up roughly two-thirds
of the CVAP and two-thirds of the City Council. Whites make up roughly one-third of the CVAP
and roughly one-third of the City Council. Where is the violation?
If the City decided to resist Mr. Dominguez’s CVRA threat letter, it would either see Mr.
Dominguez drop his case against the City, and there would be no additional expenses, or Mr.
Dominguez would make good on his threat and file suit against the city. Should Mr. Dominguez
file suit, the City would be responsible for all its related legal costs. If it loses, it would be liable
for damages and fees incurred by Mr. Dominguez. If the City wins, it would still be responsible
for its legal costs, unable to recoup those costs from Mr. Dominguez as the CVRA protects the
plaintiff and the plaintiff’s attorney from damages in the instance of a loss.
If the City were to win its case, it would set a precedent that might discourage other attorneys
from sending CVRA threat letters, and in the event that another threat letter was sent, the City
would be likely to win again, denying future attorneys who send letters the prospect of
recovering any costs or fees. But it would not provide safe harbor from such threat letters, so it
is entirely possible that another attorney could come along and start the whole process over.
Option C: Seek Settlement

In Option C, the City decides to seek a settlement with Mr. Dominguez and the plaintiff. The City
is not conceding to Mr. Dominguez’s threat letter and, as such, is not liable for the $37,000 in
fees to the attorney but is able to negotiate an acceptable settlement that sees Mr. Dominguez
able to recover his legal costs as well as sparing the City from having to transition to
district-based elections.
A proposed settlement would include an admission from the City that its Plurality At-Large
system is a weak system for guaranteeing representation for protected groups. The City would
state that although it is not currently in violation, it has been historically, and it wishes to
transition to a better, more just system as defined by the CVRA. Because district elections result
in uncontested elections as much as 30% of the time in similarly sized cities, the City proposes
moving to a modified at-large system, such as Proportional Ranked Choice Voting, as allowed
for in the CVRA. The similarly sized city of Albany (population 19,000) recently negotiated a
similar settlement with attorney Kevin Shenkman and, in 2022, held its first Proportional Ranked
Choice election, which yielded fantastic results.
A settlement such as this provides a number of significant advantages over conceding to or
resisting the CVRA threat letter. It allows a city to avoid transitioning to districts, it replaces an
antiquated and unjust system of Plurality At-Large elections with a much better proportional
system, and it provides protection from future CVRA threat letters for at least a few election
cycles while the method is proven to produce just and representative electoral results. If the suit
and the settlement are filed in conjunction and ruled on by a judge, the ruling allows the city to
move to a proportional election system without having to adopt a city charter and shields the city
from future CVRA threat letters until such time as historical data can either confirm or disprove
the effectiveness of the settled upon solution.
Conclusion
The City of Fillmore, its city council, and its residents have difficult decisions ahead of them. Of
the three options I’ve presented, none will be easy, and none will be without cost or headache,
but I believe there is a clear winner. I strongly urge the City to pursue a settlement with the
plaintiff that includes the implementation of a Proportional At-Large system such as Proportional
Ranked Choice Voting.
Ranked Choice Voting is the fastest-growing voting reform in the county, and for good reason. It
encourages more candidates to run, provides voters with more options, and, when implemented
in a proportional form to elect representative bodies, produces the most just and equitable
results of any voting system in use today.
There is an opportunity for the Fillmore City Council to turn this lemon into lemonade and
emerge from this stressful situation with a new and improved election system that both satisfies
the requirements of the California Voting Rights Act and prevents the city from being forced to
transition to an unwanted and likely ineffective district model.
I wish you, the City Council, and the people of Fillmore the very best as you navigate this
process, and I will be rooting for you the entire time!
Thank you again for your time.

Sincerely,

Paul Conrad Copley
Ventura County Coordinator
California Ranked Choice Voting Institute
(424)214-9622
paul@calrcv.org
www.CalRCV.org