City Of San Antonio Outlines Upcoming City Council District Redistricting Process

Press release from the City of San Antonio:

October 6, 2021

CONTACT: Laura Mayes, City of San Antonio; (210) 207-1337
laura.mayes@sanantonio.gov

Michelle Vigil, City of San Antonio
michelle.vigil@sanantonio.gov; (210) 207-4495

SAN ANTONIO (October 6, 2021) – Today, the San Antonio City Attorney’s Office presented to the San Antonio City Council the initial assessment of the 2020 Census data and outlined the upcoming process for the redistricting of all 10 City Council Districts. The initial 2020 Census data shows that the population growth has led to an imbalance between districts that will need to be addressed. The difference between the most and least populous existing council districts exceeds legal parameters. The need to change boundaries and rebalance the population will impact all 10 City Council Districts.

The City Council District redistricting process will be conducted from 2021 through 2022 and will include coordination through an advisory committee, community input and outreach, and legal analysis. Anticipated redrawn district plans will be brought for final Council approval in the summer of 2022.

“Clearly, San Antonio’s population has grown over the past decade. The growth has led to population shifts among the districts. Through redistricting the district boundaries will be adjusted so that we will have substantially equal population across each district. The goal is to have equal representation across our community,” said City Attorney Andy Segovia. “The redistricting process will include a Council appointed Redistricting Advisory Committee and a community engagement process. Today’s briefing marks the first of many public discussions on this topic.”

What determines the need to redistrict San Antonio’s City Council Districts?
Several factors are considered when determining the geographical boundaries of City Council Districts.

San Antonio’s City Charter defines the creation, composition, and powers of City Council which consists of the mayor and 10 council members elected from single member districts. The City Charter also requires that the boundaries of the districts be reexamined and redetermined where appropriate following each succeeding Federal decennial census. In addition to the City Charter, federal law requires that single member districts have approximately equal population.

The 2020 United States Census indicates that San Antonio experienced population growth, with a total population size of 1,434,412 people. In assessing the data, the decennial census indicates that the ideal population size for each Council District is 143,378 people per district. By comparison, the 2010 Census indicated that the ideal size of each district was 132,672 per district. Initial assessment of the census data shows that the population variation of 34.61 percent between the most and least populous existing council districts exceeds the legally permitted range of 10 percent. The need to change boundaries and rebalance the population will impact all 10 districts.

When considering these factors, the City Council District geographical boundaries will be redrawn to maintain relatively equal population across districts. In addition to having City Council district plans that are relatively equal in population size, other factors to consider will be to have identifiable boundaries, maintain “communities of interest” and neighborhoods, use whole voting precincts and be compact and continuous.

Timeline
In September of 2021, the United States Census Bureau released the final decennial Census information. This October, City Council will form an advisory committee made up of 13 residents appointed by the Mayor and Council. Three members, including two co-chairs, will be appointed by the Mayor. Each Councilmember will appoint one committee member.

The Advisory Committee will work with City staff and outside legal counsel to revise district boundaries, gather community input, provide regular updates to City Council and make a final recommendation in the summer of 2022.

Information will be published on the City’s website as the process proceeds and more information becomes available.

This press release was produced by the City of San Antonio. The views expressed here are the author’s own.