MEETING DATE:
DECEMBER 14, 2021
SUBJECT:
Title
PUBLIC HEARING #2 FOR REDRAWING OF SAN MARCOS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT BOUNDARIES
Body
Recommendation
Recommendation
1. RECEIVE a report from staff and the City’s redistricting consultant on the redistricting process and permissible criteria to be considered to redraw district boundaries; and
2. CONDUCT a public hearing to receive public input on district boundaries.
Body
Board or Commission Action
Not Applicable
Relevant Council Strategic Theme
Good Governance
Relevant Department Goal
Not Applicable
Executive Summary
Every 10 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 a nearly equal population. The redistricting process for the City of San Marcos must be completed by April 17, 2022. The City conducted the first of four required public hearings on October 26, 2021.
Discussion
The City adopted its current district boundaries in 2016 based on 2010 census data as required by law. The first district election was held in 2018 for districts 1 and 2. The districts must now be redrawn using the 2020 census data and in compliance with the Fair and Inclusive Redistricting for Municipalities and Political Subdivisions (FAIR MAPS) Act, which was adopted by the California legislature as AB 849 and took effect January 1, 2020.
Under the Act, the City Council shall draw and adopt boundaries using the following criteria in the listed order of priority (Elections Code 21621(c)):
1. Comply with the federal requirements of equal population and Voting Rights Act.
2. Be geographically contiguous.
3. Maintain the geographic integrity of any local neighborhood or local community, and “communities of interest” (socio-economic geographic areas that should be kept together), to the extent practicable.
4. Display easily identifiable and understandable boundaries.
5. Be geographically compact (do not bypass one group of people to get to a more distant group of people), to the extent practicable.
6. Shall not favor or discriminate against a political party.
Once the prioritized criteria are met, other traditional districting principles can be considered, such as an attempt to minimize the number of voters delayed from voting in 2022 to 2024, respecting voters’ choices/continuity in office, and considering future population growth.
By law, the City must hold at least four public hearings that enable community members to provide input on the drawing of district maps:
• At least one hearing must occur before the city or county draws draft maps.
• At least two hearings must happen after the drawing of draft maps.
• The fourth hearing can happen either before or after the drawing of draft maps.
• City or county staff or consultants may hold a public workshop instead of one of the required public redistricting hearings.
To increase the accessibility of these hearings, cities and counties must take the following steps:
• At least one hearing must occur on a Saturday, Sunday, or after 6:00 p.m. on a weekday.
• If a redistricting hearing is consolidated with another local government meeting, the redistricting hearing must be begin at a pre-designated time.
• Local public redistricting hearings must be made accessible with people with disabilities.
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 (Section 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 community of interest might include, but are not limited to:
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:
• Similar levels of income, education, or linguistic insolation;
• Languages spoken at home; and
• Single-family and multi-family housing unit areas.
Next Steps
Following this hearing, the City’s redistricting consultant will prepare draft district maps and proposed election sequencing will be posted to the City website and available at City Hall. Residents may contact the City Clerk’s Office to further engage in the redistricting process, provide feedback and demonstrate the mapping tool.
Following the demographic review of the recently released 2020 Census data and the drafting of revised district boundary maps, Public Hearings 3 and 4 will be held on January 25, 2022 and February 22, 2022 respectively. At these hearings the Council may also discuss adjusting the sequencing of district elections so as to balance the number of officers on the ballot at any given election. Any changes to the current sequencing of district elections would be made part of the final ordinance adopting the revised district boundaries.
Environmental Review
Not applicable.
Fiscal Impact
The redistricting effort is budgeted in the approved Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget and funded with General Funds in the City Clerk budget.
Attachment
None.
Submitted by: Phil Scollick, City Clerk
Reviewed by: Helen Homes Peak, City Attorney
Approved by: Jack Griffin, City Manager