ARC Students for Liberty Campaign v. Los Rios Community College District

ORDER

This case concerns an election for a Student Trustee at Los Rios Community College District. After perceived voting irregularities, the community college district invalidated an election and had leaders from each school in the district select the Student Trustee for the following year. Plaintiff has moved for summary judgment. Defendants have moved to dismiss plaintiffs case on the grounds of mootness. For the reasons described below, plaintiffs motion for summary judgment is granted, and defendant’s motion for dismissal is denied.

I. BACKGROUND

On April 21 and 22 of 2009, the Los Rios Community College District (“District”) held an election at its member colleges for a Student Trustee. Following the election for the Student Trustee, defendant Vice Chancellor William K. Earns and other members of the executive staff of the District learned of irregularities in the scheduling of voting hours. Specifically, the District’s largest college, American River College (“ARC”), advertised that its polls would be open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on both days, two hours later than the District permitted and than students at the other schools were allowed to vote. ARC kept the polls…