ACTION REQUESTED:
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Communication from the City Manager and Corporation Counsel with a Request to Hold a POLICY SESSION on REDISTRICTING COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
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BACKGROUND: An overview of the initial 2020 Census data was presented at the September 28, 2021 Council Meeting and again on October 12, 2021. Staff presented the criteria for redistricting to the City Council on December 14, 2021 with a schedule of future redistricting
At the October 12, 2021 meeting, Attorney Phil Lenzini presented an overview of the 1987 voting rights case that dictates the City's electoral structure today. The consent decree resulting from the 1987 case requires that the City be made up of 5 single-member districts, each represented by a single council member; 5 at-large districts represented by a single council member and a mayor elected at-large. Attorney Lenzini indicated that since the issuance of the consent decree it has been modified twice, once was by the election commission shortly after the decree was issued. Five years ago, the decree was clarified as to mid-term elections for council members who resigned their seats.
Prior changes to the consent decree were largely considered gap-filling terms that were not objected to by the plaintiff's or the court. Attorney Lenzini noted that if council were to consider amending the number of current districts, it would be a substantial change from the consent decree and may require the consent of the plaintiffs as well as an adjudication on the fairness of the proposal by the court. Attorney Lenzini cautioned that the length of time needed for a court process to approve any changes to the consent decrees' 5-district requirement would not be amenable to the current deadlines for redistricting. Attorney Lenzini did note that if the Council wanted to look at changing the 5-district requirement, it should do so far in advance of the next census.
As presented at the September 28, 2021 meeting, the 2010 Census calculated...
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