Editing Porterville, California (section)

==Government==
===Municipal government===
Porterville has operated as a [[charter city]] since 1926, giving it the power to make and enforce within its boundaries any law which does not conflict with the State or Federal government (as opposed to a general law city which operates exclusively under State law). The city's charter has been changed by the voters several times since then.

During the November 2008 [[California Proposition 8 (2008)|Prop 8]] election campaign, Porterville's City Council was the only City Council in all of [[California]] that passed a Resolution in favor of [[Prop 8]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.recorderonline.com/porterville-city-council-hears-earful-on-its-prop-decision/article_53c1d76a-2fd6-57ed-8b2c-bcbf6a98bdc0.html |last=Avila |first=Esther |date=October 7, 2008 |title=Porterville City Council hears earful on its Prop. 8 decision |newspaper=[[Porterville Recorder]] |access-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> The Resolution urged voters to act on behalf of the council's personal, religious, and political interests.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.recorderonline.com/porterville-council-puts-weight-behind-prop/article_847e84d6-2ecc-5ab2-82d9-bd995fa2d93e.html |last=Faison |first=Glen |date=October 4, 2008 |title=Porterville council puts weight behind Prop. 8 |newspaper=Porterville Recorder |access-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> Local gay rights activists, such as Porterville LGBTQ, protested at subsequent City Council meetings for months afterwards, getting the attention of local media.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.recorderonline.com/overturning-of-prop-spurs-celebration/article_41d7a971-f7e5-5a2c-b35f-ff62b33203e8.html |last=Chandler |first=Jenna |date=August 5, 2010 |title=Overturning of Prop. 8 spurs celebration |newspaper=Porterville Recorder |access-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> Prop 8 amended California's constitution to deny marriage rights for same-sex couples. Porterville and [[Tulare County, California|Tulare County]] voters voted over 75% in favor of [[California Proposition 8 (2008)|Prop 8]], among the highest levels in the State of [[California]], during the election.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.recorderonline.com/the-battle-for-or-against-proposition-continues/article_c5861eac-637f-5f2a-a923-77346c89accf.html |last=Stackhouse-Hite |first=Anita |date=November 9, 2008 |title=The battle for or against Proposition 8 continues |newspaper=Porterville Recorder |access-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> On August 4, 2010, Prop 8 was ruled unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. In June 2013, the mayor declared that month to be LGBT pride month,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.recorderonline.com/council-proclamation-to-note-gay-pride-month/article_f4c7fea0-283a-54fd-bd56-28a14ae8189f.html |last=Ballard |first=Kelli |date=June 4, 2013 |title=Council proclamation to note Gay Pride Month |newspaper=Porterville Recorder |access-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> but that proclamation was subsequently rescinded by the city council.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.recorderonline.com/lgbt-pride-month-proclamation-rescinded/article_5c12fbad-fa63-5d51-bfdf-b570ab7cc2a0.html |last=Ballard |first=Kelli |date=July 18, 2013 |title=LGBT Pride month proclamation rescinded |newspaper=Porterville Recorder |access-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> The City Council subsequently removed the Mayor responsible for introducing the proclamation, Virginia Gurrola.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.recorderonline.com/another-changing-of-the-guards/article_cba31f69-d5e6-5236-b673-f40be337616d.html |last=Ballard |first=Kelli |date=September 19, 2013 |title=Another Changing of the Guards |newspaper=Porterville Recorder |access-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref> During a discussion on the establishment of anti-bullying youth safe zones, Gurrola's successor, Cam Hamilton, stated "I’m against bullying, but I’m getting damn tired of it being used as a mantra for everything when all most people have to do is grow a pair and stick up for them damn selves."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.recorderonline.com/news/safe-zone-idea-stirs-controversy/article_e1490b60-d6cb-11e3-a141-0017a43b2370.html |last=Ballard |first=Kelli |date=May 8, 2014 |title='Safe Zone' idea stirs controversy |newspaper=Porterville Recorder |access-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.recorderonline.com/news/porterville-back-in-the-spotlight/article_9e33b8ec-e0fe-11e3-96ef-0017a43b2370.html |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=May 21, 2014 |title=Porterville back in the spotlight |newspaper=Porterville Recorder |access-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref>

===State and federal representation===
In the [[California State Senate]], Porterville is in [[California's 14th State Senate district|the 14th district]]. In the [[California State Assembly]], it is in {{Representative|caad|26|fmt=adistrict}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |title=Statewide Database |publisher=UC Regents |access-date=November 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201113744/http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |archive-date=February 1, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the [[United States House of Representatives]], Porterville is in {{Representative|cacd|23|fmt=district}}<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|23|access-date=October 5, 2014}}</ref>