Redistricting Process for City Council Districts‏

As required by the Federal and State Constitutions, and consistent with federal law regarding apportionment, the City Code requires the City Council to revise council district boundaries to equalize population distribution at least once every 10 years based on the decennial census. The current council district boundaries became effective in January 2003 following the 2000 decennial census. District population, based on the 2010 census, varies from the smallest at 150,919 (District 4) to the largest at 261,458 (District 7). To equalize district population, the ideal population size for each is 180,704. To achieve this, most districts will need to gain population, with a few losing population, while maintaining minority voting strength.

The City’s public process will begin with public meetings conducted in each Council District between January 31 and February 17, 2012 to provide residents with information about the redistricting process, to distribute redistricting materials, and to obtain input from residents regarding communities of interest. Additionally, the City’s redistricting website will contain all materials provided in the public meetings and an online mapping program to allow residents to draw proposed boundary lines, see statistical data on the proposed boundaries, and submit proposed district maps for review and analysis. The City encourages you to participate in the public meetings and also make use of the redistricting website and online mapping tool located at http://www.phoenix.gov/redistricting.

Based on input received from the public and the mapping consultant team will compile several draft maps for consideration by the Mayor and Council. A second round of public meetings will occur for public feedback on these draft maps. This second round of meetings is planned for late April and early May. Based on the public feedback, the maps will be refined and the Mayor and Council will vote on a final map that will be submitted to the Department of Justice for preclearance.

Please share this information with your friends and neighbors. If you have any questions or comments, please contact the City’s redistricting hotline at (602) 256-4357 or by e-mail at redistricting@phoenix.gov.

Redistricting meeting schedule - first round (locations closest to the Phoenix Central Neighborhood boundaries):

6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, Burton Barr Central Library, 1221 N. Central Ave. (Technical Workshop)
6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, Sunnyslope Community Center, 802 E. Vogel Ave.
1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, Burton Barr Central Library Auditorium, 1221 N. Central Ave.

Source: Cris Meyer, City Clerk