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 process, the Commission produced seven maps and narrowed those down to a final three which have been submitted to Council.
EMERGENCY ACTION: Emergency action is requested in order to comply with Sec. 7-3 of the Columbus City Charter requiring that the ordinance adopting a districting plan be an emergency measure and be passed no later than December 31, 2021 for the immediate preservation of the public peace, property, health, or safety.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Title
To adopt a districting plan for Columbus City Council for the 2023 municipal election cycle; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus voters overwhelmingly voted in support of Issue 3 in May 2018, to add two additional seats to City Council and create residential districts in the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, a five-member independent, citizen-led commission (the “Commission”) was seated prior to March 1, 2021 and charged to create three Council residential districting plans in accordance with the Columbus City Charter (the “Charter”); and
WHEREAS, the Charter mandated that the Commission follow specific requirements when creating the proposed district maps; and
WHEREAS, the Commission has conducted a robust public engagement process that included nine public meetings, 15 working sessions, a survey, and attendance at countless community meetings; and
WHEREAS, on December 13, 2021, the Commission submitted three final maps to Columbus City Council with a certification that the Commission performed its duties in conformance with the Charter and that the maps submitted comply with all Charter requirements; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in that the Charter requires that adoption of a districting plan be passed as an emergency measure and that it be passed prior to December 31, 2021 such that it is immediately necessary to authorize the adoption of this map for the immediate preservation of the public peace, property, health, or safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Council hereby recognizes its Charter obligation to choose one of three maps submitted by the Commission as attached hereto that will establish Columbus City Council districts beginning with the 2023 municipal election cycle.
SECTION 2. That the Council hereby finds that the Commission conducted itself in accordance with required, relevant provisions of the Charter in performing its duties and in creating the attached Maps A, B, and C.
SECTION 3. That the three maps submitted by the Commission each comply with the requirements in Sec. 7-2 of the Charter.
SECTION 4. That Council hereby adopts Map _____ A as the Columbus City Council district map as being in the best interest of the City.
SECTION 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.