REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Report and Presentation from the Independent Redistricting Commission on the 2020 Census Redistricting Process and its Adoption of a Final Map; Action on the Introduction of an Ordinance Adopting the New Council District Map
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency
BACKGROUND
Every ten years, after the U.S. Census is conducted, city council district lines must be reviewed and possibly adjusted to ensure each council district contains approximately the same number of residents. This process is known as redistricting. The redistricting process is a non-political process of reviewing census data and ensuring that council district lines are accurately drawn so that each district contains a fairly equal population. The City is required to adopt its final map 205 days before the next regular election. Deadline for submittal of final map for November 8, 2022 election is April 17, 2022.
The City must adopt boundaries for all council districts so that the districts will be substantially equal in population. According to the FAIR MAPS Act, districts must meet the following requirements:
District Map Criteria
? Comply with federal requirements of population equality and the Voting Rights Act
? Have districts that are geographically contiguous (connected).
? Maintaining the geographic integrity by minimizing division of local neighborhoods and communities of interest.
? Have districts that are easily identifiable, and to the extent practicable, bonded by natural and artificial barriers, streets, and boundaries.
? Draw districts that are geographical compactness where nearby areas of population are not bypassed in favor of more distant populations.
? Do not favor or discriminate against a political party.
On July 6, 2021, the City Council approved the formation of an Independent Redistricting Commission (Commission) that was tasked to redraw the Council district boundaries and adopt a final map. The Commissi...
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