75A - PH WARD RE-BOUNDARIES - Laserfiche WebLink

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Third Public Hearing regarding Ward Re -Boundary October 16, 2018 Page 2 The final meeting scheduled on November 20, 2018 will allow the City Council to have the second reading and adoption of the ordinance setting the new Ward boundaries. For reference purposes see Exhibit 1 for current Ward Boundaries and Exhibit 2 for the four maps being considered. The ordinance adopting new Ward boundaries will require five affirmative votes. A timeline of events is attached as Exhibit 3. Re -boundary Standards When deciding upon a proposed map, the City Council must keep in mind certain standards in order to comply with the law. The following are mandatory for any proposed map (see Exhibit 4): • The Wards must be as nearly equal in population as may be (Elections Code § 21601). Exact equality of population is not required for the Wards, but they should strive to create Wards that have a total population deviation of no more than 10% between their most heavily populated Ward and the least populated Wards. Gaffney v. Cummings, 412 U.S. 772 (1973). • Current Councilmembers shall not lose their current seat or allow a term limit reset for members that have served three consecutive terms of four -years each. The City Council may also rely upon the following "traditional" re -boundary factors when deciding upon a map pursuant to Election Code §21601: • Cohesiveness, continuity, integrity, and compactness of territory • Community of interest • Topography and geography Finally, the following are additional criteria which are also acceptable to consider: • Traditional boundaries • Preservation of core of prior Wards • Race may be a factor considered in establishing the districts, but it may not be the predominant motivating factor in creating the districts. Miller v. Johnson, 515 U. S. 900, 916 (1995). Race is a predominant factor if the legislature "subordinate[s]" other factors— compactness, respect for political subdivisions, partisan advantage, what have you—to "racial considerations." Id. The City held four Community Meetings throughout the City and received input including the need for additional demographic data. The consultant has provided data requested and has been posted to the City's website for reference. Staff has made the following efforts to encourages the community to be engaged in the process - notices sent via Nixle Alert, Facebook posting, emailed notice to all neighborhood associations, school district, board and commission members, and religious institutions; also published legal notices in various newspapers and translated into Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean. 75A-2