Introduction: Every ten years, cities with by-district election systems must use new census data to review and, if needed, redraw district lines to reflect how local populations have changed. This process, called redistricting, ensures all districts have nearly equal population.
The purpose of this public hearing is to inform the public about the districting process and to hear from the community on what factors should be taken into consideration while creating district boundaries. The public is requested to provide input regarding communities of interest and other local factors that should be considered while drafting district maps. A community of interest under the relevant Elections Code for cities (Sections 21601(c)/21621(c)) is “a population that shares common social or economic interests that should be included within a single district for purposes of its effective and fair representation.”
Possible features defining a community of interest might include, without limitation:
1. School attendance areas;
2. Natural dividing lines such as major roads, hills, or highways;
3. Areas around parks and other neighborhood landmarks;
4. Common issues, neighborhood activities, or legislative/election concerns; and
5. Shared demographic characteristics, such as:
(a) Similar levels of income, education, or linguistic insolation;
(b) Languages spoken at home; and
(c) Single-family and multi-family housing unit areas.
