Judge Orders Huntington Beach to Adopt Ranked-Choice Voting After Lawsuit

A tentative ruling by Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Griffin has ordered Huntington Beach to abandon its traditional at-large voting system in favor of ranked-choice voting, following a lawsuit brought by the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP) and resident Victor Valladares. The case, argued by attorney Kevin Shenkman, claimed the city's current system made it harder for Latino voters to elect candidates of their choice, citing the California Voting Rights Act.

The decision has intensified debate over election rules in a city known as a conservative stronghold, with critics arguing the changes are politically motivated and could reshape local representation.

The ruling comes as part of a broader trend in California, where lawsuits under the California Voting Rights Act have forced several cities—often conservative-leaning—to switch from at-large to district or ranked-choice voting. These changes typically create districts where minority populations, who have leaned Democrat, can more easily elect preferred candidates, according to reporting by The Daily Signal.

The Lawsuit and Ruling

Judge Griffin's tentative decision would end Huntington Beach's at-large system, where all voters select from the full slate of council candidates, and replace it with ranked-choice voting. Under this method, voters rank candidates by preference, and if no one secures a majority, the lowest-ranked candidates are eliminated and votes redistributed until a winner emerges. The lawsuit, filed by SVREP and Valladares, argued that the at-large system diluted Latino voting power, violating the California Voting Rights Act, a state law designed to make it easier for minorities to challenge such systems.

Attorney Kevin Shenkman, who represented the plaintiffs, has become known for using the law to challenge at-large election systems across California. Shenkman said he was "pleased" with Griffin's "thoughtful and well-reasoned decision," and looked forward to a city council "that actually represents all HB residents."

"It is precisely because the current city council doesn’t represent all HB residents and rather are more interested in Fox News appearances and showing fealty to an intensely racist dictator … that they have chosen to fight against the voting rights of HB residents."

— Kevin Shenkman, attorney for plaintiffs

Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Vigliotta noted the decision was tentative and said he would comment further after a final ruling. Orange County Registrar of Voters Bob Page told the Voice of OC in June that his office currently lacks the capacity to run ranked-choice elections.

The Role of SVREP and Funding

The SVREP, founded in 1974 by William C. “Willie” Velásquez, has focused on empowering Latino and other minority voters through registration drives, education, and litigation. The group has expanded across the Southwest and claims credit for registering millions of Latinos and winning hundreds of voting rights lawsuits, often in partnership with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Since around 2016, SVREP has teamed up with Shenkman as its primary outside counsel, forming a partnership that has targeted several conservative-leaning California cities. Notable cases include settlements in San Juan Capistrano, Highland, Rancho Cucamonga, and Cypress, with cities paying hundreds of thousands to over a million dollars in legal fees and switching to district-based elections. In Cypress, the city settled in 2024, agreeing to move to district elections and paying $835,000 to plaintiffs.

SVREP operates on an annual budget of about $700,000, funded almost entirely by grants and donations from progressive and Democrat-aligned sources. Major funders include the California Community Foundation, AltaMed Health Services, and environmental groups such as the Earth Day Network and the League of Conservation Voters. The organization did not respond to a request for comment from The Daily Signal.

Local Backlash and Political Implications

The tentative ruling has drawn sharp criticism from local conservatives, including former Huntington Beach mayor and current state Assembly candidate Gracey Van Der Mark. Van Der Mark, who is Latina, rejected the lawsuit's claims of underrepresentation, arguing that the city's system already allowed for minority leadership.

"This is a problem that’s being created in a city where we don’t have a problem," Van Der Mark said, adding, "So, they’re saying Latinos don’t have representation when it’s a Latina who was representing the entire city. There’s absolutely no basis for their claims."

She further argued that the lawsuit was an attempt to change election outcomes rather than address genuine disparities: "The people who filed the lawsuit to try to turn our city into districts are simply upset that they were not able to get elected for whatever reason, so they’re trying to change the whole system so that they have a better chance. That’s not democracy."

Shenkman did not respond to questions about his partnership with SVREP or concerns regarding the lawsuits. The final ruling from Judge Griffin is still pending, and city officials have not indicated whether they will appeal.