SLO County agrees to settlement over district map following court challenge

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. – The County of San Luis Obispo's Board of Supervisors has agreed to a settlement with a group of plaintiffs that had challenged the legal compliance of supervisorial district maps adopted in December of 2021 and used in the Board's elections in 2022.

The validity of the district map was challenged in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court by a group of plaintiffs including: SLO County Citizens for Good Government Inc., Patricia Gomez, Don Maruska, Allene Villa, and the League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County Inc.

In January of 2022, a judge allowed the challenged map to be used during the 2022 election cycle, but found the petitioners had a reasonable probability of prevailing in court.

This settlement relies on a stipulated judgement that sets aside the district map and requires the Board of Supervisors to resume and complete the redistricting process by May 15 of 2023.

Additionally, the County agrees within the settlement to cover the plaintiffs legal fees in the amount of $300,000.

Next, The Board of Supervisors will set a hearing date on Apr. 4 for a public hearing on considering a set of new district maps on Apr. 18, 2023.

The next election cycle that would use the new district boundaries will be the primary election in March of 2024.

For more information including links to the proposed maps for the Apr. 18 public hearing, visit here.