2022 Ward Redistricting - New Ward boundaries go into effect January 1, 2023. 

Current Ward Boundaries	New Ward Boundaries
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The City Charter requires Ward redistricting at least once every ten years to reflect population shifts and must be adopted by ordinance at least 180 days before any regular municipal election. Council's Policy requires the Election Commission to present its recommendation no later than December 31 of the year prior to any regular municipal election. 

All Election Commission meetings were open to the public and had a specific time for public comment so the Commission could receive input on the Ward redistricting options and communities of interest. Agendas, associated documents, and recordings of each Election Commission meeting are posted below. 

The Election Commission presented its recommendation to City Council on October 4 and November 1. Council approved new Ward boundaries by ordinance on November 29 with second reading on December 13. The new ward boundaries go into effect January 1, 2023. Individual mailings have been sent to those whose ward has changed. All other options considered by the Election Commission are below. Click on each map to view it as a larger image. 

Based on Federal, State, and local laws, the Election Commission is required to take into consideration the following criteria when making its recommendation:

• Population equity. Ward boundaries should have as equal population as possible to ensure that one person's vote in one district is worth as much as another's vote in a different district. The general standard for deviation between the smallest and largest ward is no more than 10% deviation between the two, but municipalities should strive to be draw their wards with as equal population as possible.
• No minority vote dilution. Ward boundaries cannot be drawn in such a manner as to dilute the voting power of minority groups.
• No Change to Councilmember Ward. No change shall operate to exclude any Councilmember from office before the expiration of the term for which the incumbent was elected or appointed.
• Compactness. While not a constitutional requirement, wards should be drawn in such a manner as to be as compact geographically as possible to prevent wards from encompassing large geographic areas but having a small voting population.
• Contiguity. Wards should be contiguous, and no part of a ward should be entirely separated geographically from any other part of the ward.
• Preservation of County precinct boundaries. This is a requirement that impacts the state and county governments redistricting process more so than municipalities. However, municipalities must still strive to keep general election precincts whole within their municipal election precinct and/or ward boundaries. Ballots are typically printed by their precinct so that each person within a general election precinct receives the exact same ballot as another within the same precinct. Splitting precincts results in multiple versions of ballots being printed and voters within the same precinct electing different representatives for congressional, state, county, and local offices.
• Preservation of Communities of Interest. Communities of interest are geographic areas comprised of a group of people who share similar policy concerns and should be kept whole within a single ward. Policy interest could include racial, social, economic, demographic, environmental, transportation, agricultural, industrial, or other similar features. A community of interest should be able to tell its own unique story that is distinguishable from another surrounding community. Most importantly, communities of interest should be defined by the local community members.