PRESENTER: Presenter
Alan Bojorquez/Rezzin Pullum, Redistricting Consultants
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SUBJECT: Title
Presentation of Initial Assessment and approval of continuing with the redistricting process
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DEPARTMENT: City Attorney’s Office
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Redistricting (also known as Reapportionment) is typically prompted by the need to satisfy the legal maxim of, “one person-one vote,” which is a requirement stemming from the United States Constitution. It requires that members of an elected body who are elected from single-member districts have districts that are of substantially equal population. This rule applies to legislative bodies such as city councils. Exact equality of population is not required, but a “total maximum deviation” of no more than 10 % in total population between the most heavily populated and the least populated councilmember districts should be achieved based on the most recent census.
The population and demographics of all of your districts are presented in the Initial Assessment Population Tables (Attachment A to the Report). Below is a summary of the total population data as applied to your districts as of April 1, 2020.
Total Population in 2020: 90,370 persons
Total Population in 2010: 57,740 persons Increase in Total Population: 56.5 %
Ideal Sized District: 15,062 persons
Calculation of Ideal District: Total Population of 90,370 / 6 [Districts] = 15,062
Largest District: 2 [39.67 % above Ideal District]
Smallest District: 6 [34.79 % below Ideal District]
Total Maximum Deviation: 74.46%
Calculation of Ideal District: 39.67 + 34.79 = 74.46%
This Total Maximum Deviation exceeds the standard allowable amount of 10 % (the amount that has been recognized by the courts as permissible). Accordingly, the City of New Braunfels should modify the boundaries of its districts to bring them within the 10 % range permitted by law.
Assuming City Council agrees to continue with the redistricting process and adopts the two related resolutions on this agenda, then the Redistricting Committee will be holding a map drawing session the week of November 15th during which the consultant’s demographer will demonstrate the software used to redraw the map. Then the committee will meet the first week of December for the Presentation of Draft Redistricting Maps, and the week of December 15th for the Final Maps and vote by the Redistricting Committee.
City Council will tentatively have its public hearing on the proposed redistricting map on December 27th. City Council may also adopt the map that same date. The latest day to adopt the final map is January 10.
ISSUE:
Based on the Initial Assessment report, the redistricting consultants have concluded that the current city councilmember districts are sufficiently out of population balance to warrant proceeding with the redistricting process.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
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RECOMMENDATION:
Based on the data, the consultants recommend that the City proceed with the redistricting process.