Over the past year, activists across the state have been suing city governments for their use of at-large election practices. The suits were prompted by a judicial ruling claiming that such methods of electing representatives violated the Voting Rights Act if subsequently elected boards did not reflect the demographics of the city at large. In response to these lawsuits, many cities have scrambled to adopt district election models.

Many cities, that is, except Palmdale.

Palmdale has refused to curtail to the pressure of activists and instead are clinging to their at-large voting system. According to reports, the city has already racked up substantial legal bills fighting the proposed change.

In a new development this week, over 200 residents signed a petition asking Governor Jerry Brown to appoint a three-member commission to oversee a new election for the Palmdale City Council.

According to the LA Times, the effort was launched by the Antelope Valley chapters of the NAACP and LULAC and the African American Caucus of the California Democratic Party.

The Governor’s Office has yet to respond to the groups’ request.

Read the full story at the LA Times.