Explanation
In 2018, Columbus voters voted overwhelmingly in support of adding two additional members to Council and creating nine residential Council districts. To create these districts, the Charter required that a five-member independent, citizen-led commission be formed. In accordance with Charter requirements, the Council Residential Districting Commission was seated on February 22, 2021. The Commission embarked upon hosting nine public hearings and 15 working sessions along with attending numerous area commission and civic association meetings, in fulfilling their duty of creating three districting plans for the consideration of Council. As a result, and pursuant to relevant provisions of the City Charter, the Commission has submitted to Council three Residential Districting Maps each of which set out compliance with the seven specific Charter requirements that the Commission had to follow in creating the maps. These requirements are as follows:
1. The proposed maps must comply with applicable state and federal law, including the Voting Rights Act.
2. The districts cannot vary significantly in population; the largest district by population cannot exceed the smallest by more than one percent.
3. The districts have to be “geographically contiguous,” i.e. every district has to share at least one border with another district.
4. The district boundaries should “encourage geographic compactness,” meaning that the districts should not attempt to connect disparate but denser population centers by using corridors of low density.
5. To the extent practicable, district boundaries shall be drawn to maintain the geographic integrity of a neighborhood or community of interest.
6. The Commission should try to draw district boundaries using the boundaries of existing election precincts and geographically identifiable boundaries, such as roads and waterways.
7. Districts shall not be drawn for the overt purpose of favoring or disfavoring any political group.
Through this p...
Click here for full text