Aren’t sure what City Council redistricting is all about? It’s okay – it’s still a pretty new concept in Carlsbad. But it is really important because it will determine which areas will get grouped together for the purpose of electing a City Council member, starting in next November’s election.
Here are 5 reasons to learn more:
Carlsbad is better when everyone is represented. The goal of district elections is to make sure groups that have not had enough of a voice in the past can vote for their interests in a way that makes a difference in City Council elections.
You know things our demographer doesn’t. We need your on-the-ground expertise to make sure we have identified the groups that should stay together in the same district because they share common interests.
You are an expert on your own neighborhood. Where do you think your neighborhood ends and the next one starts? Would your neighbors agree?
You can decide how much or how little you want to get involved. Hand draw a map of your neighborhood on a piece of paper or use the online tool that has population information for every single census block in the city. Or, just wait a couple of months and provide comments on the maps drawn by others.
This only comes around once every decade. Redistricting is done after the national census is completed every 10 years. So, the decisions made through this process will dictate the district boundaries until the year 2032. That’s a long time!
The city is holding four webinars to share information about the City Council redistricting process and how to provide feedback on new City Council district boundaries. These informational meetings will provide an overview of redistricting, the steps in the process, how to participate and the basics of map-making. All meetings will be from 6 to 7 p.m.
Webinar registration links
District 1 | Aug. 25
District 2 | Aug. 26
District 3 | Sept. 1
District 4 | Sept. 2
Residents are encouraged to attend the meeting for their district, but all residents are welcome at all meetings.
After these meetings, the city will have online surveys, hands-on mapping workshops and public hearings leading up to the April 2022 deadline for new maps to be chosen by an independent redistricting commission. See a full list of public input opportunities.
Learn more and sign up to be notified about the redistricting process on the city’s website.
