Tomorrow Participate In Neighborhood Redistricting Discussions

 Department of Neighborhoods published this information. Laurelhurst is currently in Distrct 4.

Seattle Redistricting Commission invites participation in public forums

The Seattle Redistricting Commission is currently examining how to redraw the boundaries of Seattle’s seven City Council Districts and is inviting community members to learn about the process and provide feedback at upcoming public forums.

• District 4 Public Forum: June 9, 2022 5:30pm-7:30pm
  Wallingford Community Senior Center, Good Shepherd Center (4649 Sunnyside Avenue North, Suite 140)
  Virtual Link 

At these meetings, Seattle Redistricting Commissioners will educate community members about the redistricting process and present interactive maps that detail example boundary changes and how they may impact specific districts. Meetings will be hybrid (available both online and in-person) and members of the public will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback directly to the Commission.

“The commissioners need your input and guidance on what considerations are most important to your community in your City Council Districts,” said Eliseo Juarez, Chair of the Seattle Redistricting Commission. “Should it most closely follow hills and waterways or be as compact as possible? Should it seek to preserve historic community areas in single districts? We need your participation to inform how we create a final map that represents every neighborhood and community fairly for the next decade.”

The Seattle Redistricting Commission is an independent, non-partisan body of five appointed Seattle residents responsible for redrawing the new Council District boundaries to reflect the city’s population growth. The commission follows City Charter mandated criteria using geographic information system (GIS) expertise and the latest 2020 Census data to draw new boundaries and produce districts that are approximately equal in population. To the extent practical, the Commission must also consider additional factors, such as following existing district boundaries, recognizing waterways and geographic boundaries, and acknowledging Seattle’s communities and neighborhoods.

District lines are re-drawn every 10 years when the U.S. Census Bureau releases its latest population update.  According to the 2020 Census, Seattle’s population is 737,015, a growth of 21.1% since 2010. The redistricting process will ensure that, by the 2023 election cycle, each Seattle Council District will include approximately 105,288 people. To achieve this number, the Commission will redraw the boundary lines of all districts, expanding Districts 1, 2, 5, and 6 and contracting Districts 3, 4, and 7. 

Councilmember Alex Pedersen wrote recently in his newsletter:

 As required after completing the U.S. Census every 10 years, legislative districts at all levels of government are re-evaluated and re-drawn to ensure the populations within each district are relatively the same size. Seattle City Council District 4 overlaps with two State Legislative Districts: the 46^th and 43^rd LD. For the changes to the congressional and State legislative district, boundaries, CLICK HERE.

Laurelhurst will move to the 43^rd LD.  These changes will impact the elections this November 2022 and those who win those elections will represent those new districts starting January 2023. Changes to the seven City Council district boundaries are on a slower implementation timeline (elections in 2023 for the redrawn boundaries starting 2024) and are still under consideration by an ad hoc Seattle Redistricting Commission.

 

For more information about the Seattle Redistricting go here.