Cypress agreed to pay $835,000 as part of a settlement agreement to a lawsuit that challenged how the city held its local elections.
The payment, unanimously approved by the City Council in a closed session vote last month, covers plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees and costs, said City Attorney Fred Galante.
In 2022, Malibu-based attorney Kevin Shenkman sued on behalf of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and two residents. The lawsuit alleged that Cypress’ elections format led to racially polarized voting and the at-large system — where voters decide on all five council seats rather than choose one representative for their area — impaired the ability of minority voters to elect candidates of their choice.
The City Council, earlier this year, approved a map that splits the city into five council districts and the process for how voters will now choose their representatives on the council, starting with the upcoming November election. Districts 3 and 4 will be on the ballot in November; Districts 1, 2 and 5 will be up in 2026.
During a contentious special meeting in January, the City Council elected to resolve the lawsuit, with many councilmembers saying they did not support by-district elections but felt settling was best for the city overall given the cost and other cities’ inability to successfully defend against a California Voting Rights Act lawsuit. The California Supreme Court had recently ruled against Santa Monica’s efforts to keep its at-large voting system.
“This new process, which is being forced on us by outsiders and special interests, means residents will only get to vote for one councilmember and once every four years,” Mayor Scott Minikus said in January. “However, I respect that the City Council concluded that fighting this lawsuit would be outrageously expensive with no possible successful conclusion.”
“The settlement gives the city the ability to work with the community to establish our electoral map rather than have a court dictate the districts,” Minikus added.
Katie Shapiro, one of the residents behind the lawsuit, had said district elections gave voters “a more balanced, stronger, pronounced voice.”
“District voting enables closer relationships and improved responsiveness between communities and their representatives,” she said.
Residents can find an interactive version of the map online and determine which district they will cast a ballot for.
The settlement payment was made in full on June 21, a city spokesperson said.
