Re-Districting Discussion on Agenda September 12

In March 2020, the electorate voted in District by District voting

--the worst vote in years.

As all commissioners vote on policy, we should be able to vote for all of them in each district. However, it's too late for that, as voters just about always go along with what is pushed by City Hall.

SUMMARY:
Pursuant to the City’s Professional Services Agreement with FAU, representatives from The John Scott Dailey Florida Institute of Government at Florida Atlantic University (the “Institute”) will present the analysis of the City’s existing election districts and discuss with the City Commission the details of such analysis, whether or not redistricting is recommended, and, if so, what next steps are required.

BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION:
Generally, redistricting redefines election districts based on changes in the population. The Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution has been found to guarantee the right of “one person, one vote” to municipal residents, such that a municipality must redraw its election districts periodically to maintain equal population. Every ten years, after a census, updated population data often times results in election districts with unequal populations, which requires the redrawing of districts to maintain compliance with the United States
Constitution and the Voting Rights Act.

At the March 8, 2022, the City’s voters approved single-member district voting wherein each city commissioner (not including the mayor who is elected at-large) is elected by the electors of the district in which that commissioner resides instead of being elected by the electors of the city-at-large. Based on this change, the City Commission entered into an Agreement with FAU to, as an initial step, analyze the City’s 2020 Census data and population projections and the City’s existing election districts. At the workshop, an Institute representative(s) will present its report on the analysis to the Commission, and such analysis will be discussed. If redistricting is recommended, the Institute will lay out the next steps that are required for redistricting.

So, let's see what other asinine policy is suggested. Let's hope it's not just on population alone, as turn-out is always low in some districts where a percentage of the population can not speak English and do not participate.