RAC21 Committee Meeting – 003

Presentation Slides

Agenda

Things we will cover:

• Redistricting Basics
• Redistricting Advisory Commission
• Traditional Redistricting Principles
• Fair Maps Act
• Map Tool Demonstration
• Public Testimony on Communities of Interest
• Public Hearing Schedule

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What is Redistricting

Definition

Redistricting is the process of adjusting district lines every 10 years after the release of the U.S. Census. The well-known examples are Congressional and State Legislative Districts, but local governments also must do redistricting.

• • The County of Solano also must go through this process, as it did in 2011, to ensure the supervisorial districts are rebalanced after the decennial
  • Beyond creating districts of equal population, redistricting also serves to empower local communities and preserve voting

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Redistricting Advisory Committee

Definition

The County Board of Supervisors appointed a 15-member Redistricting Advisory Committee (RAC21) to assist them in conducting community outreach to identify the communities of interest’s countywide and within their respective districts.

Outreach efforts between now and when the 2020 Census data is released in the Fall to allow the Board sufficient opportunities to conduct public hearings to consider potential district map options before the December 15, 2021 deadline to approve final maps.

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Redistricting Advisory Committee

The 15-member Commission is appointed by the Board of Supervisors

District 1

• • Tiffanee Jones (Lead)
  • Cassandra James
  • Alex Matias

District 2

• • Chris Angle (Lead)
  • Stephanie Cobb
  • Mina Diaz

District 3

• • Delon Jackson (Lead)
  • Debra Russo
  • Mike Nail

District 4

• • Shawn Smith (Lead)
  • Steve Greenberg
  • Vacant

District 5

• • Jim McCully (Lead)
  • Rosie Enriquez
  • Vacant

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Traditional Redistricting Principles

Preventing a Districting from becoming a Gerrymander

There are a number of criteria that have been used nationally and upheld by courts.

• • Relatively equal size – people, not citizens
  • Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
  • Maintain “communities of interest”
  • Follow city/county/local government lines
  • Keep districts compact – appearance/function

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Traditional Redistricting Principles

Drawing New Board of Supervisor Lines for Fair Representation

There are a number of criteria that have been used nationally and upheld by courts.

• • Relatively equal size – people, not citizens
  • Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
  • Maintain “communities of interest”
  • Follow city/county/local government lines
  • Keep districts compact – appearance/function

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Additional Redistricting Rules

Criteria required in Solano County Beyond Traditional Principles

The FAIR MAPS Act adds more criteria to the process.

• • Not consider Incumbents /
  • Not draw districts to advantage or disadvantage a political
  • Hold minimum set of hearings, encourage public
  • Posting of all redistricting commission information on a website that is maintained for the next 10 years.

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Communities of Interest

Bringing like people together for representation

A community of interest includes ethnic and language minorities and other groups.

• • Communities covered by the Voting Rights Act
    • Latinos
    • Asians
    • African Americans
    • Native Americans

While race is a community of interest, it cannot be the predominant factor in drawing district boundaries.

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Communities of Interest

Bringing like people together for representation

Other examples are:

• • Neighborhoods
  • Your high school and junior high areas
  • Senior citizens or student populations
  • Downtown / urban
  • Rural or agricultural
  • Homeowners or renters

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Communities of Interest

Three Critical Questions in Defining for Redistricting

• Does the community have a shared culture, characteristics or bond?
• Is the community geographic in nature? Is the community able to be mapped?
• Describe the community’s relationship with the jurisdiction and how it is affected by the policy decisions made by the elected officials.

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Map Submissions

Online Map Submissions will be available in the coming month after the city completes development / hosting of the Online Redistricting software

Two types of expected input:

• Community of Interest Maps (June – End of Process)
• District Plans Based on 2020 Data (Release of Data – Final Adoption)

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Communities of Interest

Drawing YOUR Communities of Interest

The County of Solano will be using DistrictR as a public mapping tool to allow residents to draw their own Communities of Interest.

https://districtr.org/california

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Community of Interest Forms

Submitting Your COI Form

• Input can be provided in public hearings or using our “Community of Interest
• This can be provided on the website as a part of overall community engagement strategy.
• Some agencies convert these to a webform or survey

(Picture: See file below for embedded pictures)

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Communities of Interest

Drawing YOUR Communities of Interest

There will also be laminated paper maps for the public to use to draw their own community of interest.

(Picture: See file below for embedded pictures)

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Solano County Redistricting Advisory Commission

Timeline for Upcoming Meetings

May 11^th RAC Appointed by the Board of Supervisor

May 20^th RAC Training #1 – Introductory & Governance

June 3^rd RAC Training #2 – Redistricting 101

June 17^th RAC Training #3 – Public Outreach Hearings

 

Scheduled Community Outreach Meetings

Wednesday Evenings Saturday Mornings

District 2 – June 23, 2021, 6 – 8 pm District 1 – July 31, 2021, 9-11 am

District 1 – June 30, 2021, 6 – 8 pm District 2 – August 7, 2021, 9-11 am

District 3 – July 7, 2021, 6 – 8 pm District 3 – August 14, 2021, 9-11 am

District 4 – July 14, 2021, 6 – 8 pm District 4 – August 21, 2021, 9-11 am

District 5 – July 21, 2021 6 – 8 pm District 5 – August 28, 2021, 9-11 am

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Prepare Your Testimony

An important way for your community to have your voice heard during redistricting is by providing testimony

1. Introduction
2. Describe a Map of Your Community
3. Describe Your Community
4. Describe differences or similarities to other communities
5. Closing

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• PDF
• 1.5MB

Download

Tiffanee Jones Alex Matias Cassandra James Chris Angle Stephanie Cobb Mina Diaz Delon Jackson Mike Nail Debra Russo Shawn Smith Steve Greenberg Jim McCully Rosie Enriquez

P A P P P A P P P P A A P

 

The RAC21 received training from Paul Mitchell, Redistricting Partners

• Community Outreach
• Community of Interest Submission Form – (Attached)
• Overview of Public Mapping Tool – RedistrictR

The Redistricting Technical Team answered questions from the RAC21 and community members in attendance relative to the process and logistics of the upcoming outreach meetings. Staff noted the consultant would take the lead on facilitating the meetings and that the RAC21 would be taking notes and engaging on comments from the public based on what they are hearing relative to communities of interest.

Rhonda Smith, community member requested the Redistricting website be update to include multiple languages.  County staff noted it has a translation option in more than 100 languages and can be accessed using the “globe” which is a universal icon for translation located in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

Rhonda also requested the agendas and handouts available on the website be made available in a format that can be easily printed from the website. Staff responded that they will research that option.

See video tab above to access the recorded meeting to hear the full discussion.