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Home My WebLink About28 Census Redistricting ReportSTAFF REPORT CITY OF PALM DESERT CITY CLERK'S OFFICE MEETING DATE: December 16, 2021 PREPARED BY: Norma Alley, MMC, City Clerk REQUEST: Introduction regarding the Census redistricting of Council district boundaries as required by Government Code Section 21621 Recommendation 1. Receive a report from the City's census redistricting consultant on the redistricting process and permissible criteria to be considered to redraw City Council District Election District Boundaries; and 2. Provide direction to the consultant prior to drawing maps to be considered at an upcoming public hearing. Strategic Plan Not applicable. Background Analysis Every ten years, agencies with by -district election systems must use updated census data to review and, if needed, redraw electoral division lines to reflect how local populations have changed. This process, called census redistricting, ensures all districts (District 1 and District 2 in Palm Desert's case) comply with both the California Elections Code and the federal Voting Rights Act. The 2020 Census Data was released on September 20, 2021. According to the report, the official Census population for the City of Palm Desert is 51,313. Upon analysis of the census report, District 1 has a current population of 9,280 (18.1 %) while District 2 has a current population of 42,037 (81.9) The deadline for the City of Palm Desert to complete the Census Redistricting is April 17, 2022. Discussion The City adopted its current district boundaries in 2018, based on 2010 census data as required by law. The districts must now be redrawn using the 2020 census data and in compliance with the FAIR MAPS Act, which was adopted by the California legislature as AB 849 and took effect January 1, 2020. December 16, 2021 - Staff Report Census Redistricting Introduction Page 2 of 4 Under the Act, the City Council shall draw and adopt boundaries using the following criteria in the listed order of priority (Elections Code 21621(c)): 1 Comply with the federal requirements of equal population and the Voting Rights Act. 2. Be geographically contiguous. 3. Undivided neighborhoods and "communities of interest" (socio-economic geographic areas that should be kept together). 4. Display easily identifiable boundaries. 5. Be compact (do not bypass one group of people to get to a more distant group of people). 6. Shall not favor or discriminate against a political party. Once the prioritized criteria are met, other traditional districting principles can be considered, such as: 1. Minimize the number of voters delayed from voting in 2022 to 2024. 2. Respect voters' choices/continuity in office. 3. Future population growth. By law, the City must hold at least four public hearings that enable community members to provide input on the drawing of district maps: • At least one hearing must occur before the city or county draws draft maps. • At least two hearings must happen after the drawing of draft maps The fourth hearing can happen either before or after the drawing of draft maps. • City or county staff or consultants may hold a public workshop instead of one of the required public redistricting hearings. To increase the accessibility of these hearings, cities and counties must take the following steps: • At least one hearing (or community workshop) must occur on a Saturday, Sunday, or after 6:00 p.m. on a weekday. • If a redistricting hearing is consolidated with another local government meeting, the redistricting hearing must be begin at a pre -designated time. • Local public redistricting hearings must be made accessible with people with disabilities. As referenced above, the City's current districts were drawn in 2018 using 2010 census data. The districts were also drawn in compliance with a settlement agreement with plaintiffs alleging a California Voting Rights Act violation as a result of the then at -large election system. Under the settlement agreement, the permitted population of District 1 shall be between 18.4% and 21.6% of the City's total population, adjusted every ten years following the census. To achieve population balance as required by the settlement agreement, a minimum of December 16, 2021 - Staff Report Census Redistricting Introduction Page 3 of 4 163 persons must be moved from District 2 into District 1. The maximum number of persons who may be moved is 1,803. Moving between 163 and 1,803 persons will create a population deviation in the permitted 18.4% to 21.6% range. The purpose of tonight's agenda item is to inform the City Council and the public about the census districting process and to hear from the Council and community on what factors should be taken into consideration while creating district boundaries. Further public comment on communities of interest or other factors to be considered when drafting maps will be heard at the scheduled public hearings. Next Steps On January 13, 2022, the City Council will conduct Public Hearing #1 to seek public input and provide direction on specific criteria to be considered while drafting district maps. Following that hearing, the City will conduct an Open House workshop on January 20, 2022, to further engage residents in the census redistricting process. Use of the online mapping tool will be demonstrated, and residents will be provided paper mapping kits they can also use to submit their own preferred district boundaries. This will be followed by Public Hearing #2, scheduled for January 27, 2022, after which the City's census redistricting consultant will draft maps based on the totality of City Council and public input. Following the detailed demographic review of the recently released 2020 Census data and the drafting of revised district boundary maps, Public Hearings 3 and 4 will be held, February 24, and March 10, 2022, respectively. A complete list of the hearing and workshops is found in the table below: January 13, 2022 January 20, 2022 January 27, 2022 January 27 - February February 11, 2022 2022 Redistricting Schedule 1st public hearing Held prior to the release of draft maps Public engagement open house (evening) 2nd public hearing Held prior to the release of draft maps BBK to prepare draft maps using 2020 census data Deadline for the public to submit draft maps for consideration at 3rd public hearing December 16, 2021 - Staff Report Census Redistricting Introduction Page 4 of 4 February 17, 2022 February 24, 2022 February 25 — March 2 March 10, 2022 April 17, 2022 November 2022 Publish draft map(s) f 3rd public hearing (held at 6:00 p.m.) Consideration and input on proposed draft maps BBK prepare final maps 4th public hearing Council to introduce ordinance approving final maps City deadline to adopt ordinance after 2nd reading (effective immediately) and submit map to Registrar 2022 election LEGAL REVIEW DEPT. REVIEW FINANCIAL REVIEW N/A Robert W. Hargreaves City Attorney Nnrrrfut.I. Alley N/A Norma I. Alley, MMC City Clerk Janet Moore Director of Finance L. Todd Hileman, City Manager: L. Todd Hilemstvt, ATTACHMENTS: 1. Current Districts Map 2. Districts Data CITY COUNCIL ANION APPROVED DENTED RECEIVED OTHER MEETING DATE I Z /LOA AYES: ht NOES: KlChp, ABSENT: NU{'lQ. ABSTAIN: VERIFIED BY: S Original on File with City Clerk's Office ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER Andy _Tirestine Andy Firestine Assistant City Manager Current Districts 11111MOM —rimisoijOr WWI 0E �o -APO. ratxt '1:r%r me. ingiair IIKARIONak ram_ :2 4 I.A 4 Current Districts Permitted CVAP19 CVAP19 CVAP19 Total_Popu % of Permitted Range of Raw % CVAP19 NL CVAP19 CVAP Not CVAP19 CVAP19 NL CVAP19 District lation Population Range Movement Deviation Deviation Total White NL Black Hispanic Hispanic NLAIAN NLASIAN Hawaiian NL Other 1 9280 18.10% 18.4% - 21.6% 163 - 1803 -983.4 -9.58% 6531 3252 169 2529 3804 17 220 11 17 2 42037 81.90% 78.4% - 81.6% (163)-(1803) 983.4 2.40% 34343 27167 1085 4429 30057 25 1228 27 73