Voting By District Dead In Malibu? Not Necessarily, As Shenkman’s Law Group May Go To Supreme Court
Written by 991KBU on July 31, 2020
It looks like Malibu attorney Kevin Shenkman and his law associates are not going down without a fight … on the issue of forcing cities like Malibu to alter voting rights for their residents.
Shenkman has made a lucrative career after going after cities across California … challenging them under the California Voting Rights Act.
He’s been forcing cities to convert from general citywide elections … like in Malibu … to voting by district.
His plan … he says … would make it easier for Latinx voters to elect a city council member.
Problem is … the Appeal Court found that his preferred alternative only works if there are enough Latinx voters to make a difference in any particular city.
And in the case of Santa Monica … there isn’t … according to the state Court of Appeal.
Probably the same in Malibu.
Under state law … Shenkman makes big money even for simply making a legal demand for voting changes.
City after city gave in … paid Shenkman to avoid costly lawsuits.
Malibu was about to,.
Then .. Santa Monica appealed to the State Court of Appeal … and won.
Shenkman’s firm is now asking the Court of Appeal to reconsider … and it looks like he’s preparing for an appeal to the Calidfornia Supreme Court.
The lawyers contends that the Appeal Court ruling “contains several critical and factual mistakes. ”
And they argue that other courts of appeal in California have made contradicting rulings in similar cases.
His request for a rehearing is the first legal step towards taking the case to the Supreme Court of California.
The continued ability of Malibu voters to cast ballots for all five city council seats … instead of just one … rests in that case.
