REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Council Discussion and Direction on the 2021 Redistricting Process Based Receipt of 2020 Census Data
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 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 an equal population. The Census counts also provide for federal funding for many key program areas. To be clear, there are two distinct bodies of work planned for the May 4 City Council meeting, which are : (1) the Charter amendment to enact Council District Elections and an ordinance to enact the Court Ordered Six District map and (2) the 2021 Redistricting Process based on receipt of the 2020 Census data.
Typically, U.S. Census data is released by April 1st of the year following the census; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 2020 U.S. Census data is delayed. The City of Santa Clara (City) expects the census data no earlier than end of September 2021 after the State of California adjusts its population counts. Per Elections Code sections 21622 and 21628, the City must adopt its map no later than April 17, 2022. This will be the City's first redistricting process since the City moved to council districts in 2018.
The City's current council district map was drawn using 2010 Census data and considered housing growth since 2010 as well as projected growth. For background on previous districting efforts, please visit www.santaclaraca.gov/districtelections. As a result of this past work, significant changes to council district boundaries are not expected. The current council district map was the result of public input as well as a California Voting ...
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