RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
Richmond City Council – Richmond City Hall - 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 200 - Richmond, VA 23219 - www.council.richmondva.gov
COUNCIL PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWS RELEASE
IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED
Friday, 9 March 2012
New Richmond Redistricting Plan cleared by the U. S. Department of Justice: New boundaries begin immediately
(Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) -- Today, March 9, 2012, Richmond received preclearance from the U.S. Department of Justice (letter attached) of the Richmond City Council 2011 Richmond Decennial Voter District Redistricting Plan. (The new map is attached.)
The preclearance is in response to the request for review and preclearance sent on January 10, 2012 by the City of Richmond Office of the City Attorney to the United States Department of Justice (in Accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations (28 C.F.R. §§ 51.27 AND 51.28) on behalf of the Richmond City Council 2011 Richmond Decennial Voter District Redistricting Plan.
The plan, which includes changes to Richmond Voter District boundaries, Richmond Voting Precincts and Richmond Voting Locations/Polling Places goes into effect immediately. For Richmond, this includes members of Richmond City Council, Richmond Public Schools Board of Trustees and the Richmond Mayor (who is elected by having the most votes in five of nine Richmond Voter Districts).
The request package sent on behalf of Richmond City Council represented a year and a half of work, public process and dedication and included hundreds of pages documenting the public process and changes made to the existing voter districts.
Evaluations of existing voting districts are required every 10 years due to shifts in populations and redistricting of boundaries occurs to ensure voter equity. From 2000-2010, Richmond's population increased from 197,790 to 204,214 and population shifts occurred. Changes included (among others) a sizable population increase (+3,862) in the old North Central 2nd District and significant decreases (-3,460) in the old Northside 3rd District. The new Richmond Decennial Voter District Redistricting plan attempts to equalize the number of residents in each Richmond Voter District based on city population shifts reported by the 2010 U.S. Census, represents an overall percentage population variance between the nine Richmond Voter Districts of 8.2 percent.
The Richmond City Council 2011 Richmond Decennial Voter District Redistricting Plan was comprised of two components, which included a new Richmond Voter District Boundary Plan that was approved on Monday, November 28, 2011, as Council Ordinance # 2011-185 (As Amended), and changes to Richmond Voting Precincts and Richmond Voting Locations/Polling Places, approved January 9, 2012. The Submission package is available on the 2011 Richmond Decennial Voter District Redistricting Website, at http://www.richmondgov.com/Redistricting/index.aspx.
WHO The Honorable Members of Richmond City Council
CONTACT For more information and/or to discuss the Richmond City Council 2011 Richmond Decennial Voter District Redistricting plans or process, Richmond citizens should contact the Richmond City Council Councilmember (contact information below) that represents them or Steve Skinner, Council Public Information Manager, Richmond City Council Office of the Council Chief of Staff, at 804.646.6052 (o); or, steven.skinner@richmondgov.com
BACKGROUND __________________________________________________________________________
2011 Richmond Decennial Voter District Redistricting
We, as Americans, govern ourselves at the state, local and national level and choose (elect) fellow citizens to assist us with the ownership and operation of our government. In order to do this, we organize ourselves into geographical areas (districts) based on population and we use these "voter districts" to determine where we vote, which positions we vote for and who we wish to represent us. This self-governance includes deciding how tax monies are invested; what laws are needed; and, what types of services are provided and how they are managed.
As populations shift over time, we redraw (redistrict) these areas to reflect population changes and help ensure everyone is represented as fairly as possible. Thus, every 10 years (decennially), we perform a United States Census to gather statistical information about ourselves and we use this (in accordance with state, local and federal guidelines) to update the boundary lines of our voting districts.
In 2011, Richmond City Council will redraw (redistrict) the existing nine Richmond Voter District boundaries that we use to elect our local Richmond Elected Government Officials (which include: Members of Richmond City Council, Mayor of Richmond, Richmond Public Schools Board of Trustees) in response to results of the 2010 U.S. Census. Adjustments to voting precincts and locations may also be made at this time.
New Richmond Voter Districts are to be based on the 2010 Census population figures for Richmond (available from U.S. Census website, at www.census.gov) and the following criteria (the first five of which are mandatory) and the following four were adopted by Richmond City Council, by Council Resolution on February 28, 2011:
1. Equal population (Making voter districts, as near equal population as possible.)
2. Compactness (Making voter district shapes as closely packed as possible.)
3. Contiguity (Making voter district physically encompassed/connected, which may include spanning water.)
4. Avoidance of split U.S. Census Blocks (Not dividing the smallest geographic unit of census data when forming precincts/districts.)
5. Compliance with the Voting Rights Act (Redistricting Plan must comply with the U.S. Voting Rights Act and be approved by the U. S. Department of Justice
6. The 2011 redistricting plan should, if possible, avoid splits of voting precincts between the Council, School Board, state legislative and congressional election districts.
7. The 2011 redistricting plan should maximize voter convenience and the effective administration of elections.
8. The 2011 redistricting plan should preserve communities of interest.
9. The 2011 redistricting plan should, if possible, consolidate smaller voting precincts so that the number of registered voters in each precinct is at least the statewide average of 2,013.
As Richmond citizens, we use our Richmond Voter Districts to elect the following positions that are established in the Richmond City Charter:
Richmond City Charter Officials
• A Mayor (who must receive the most votes in at least five of the nine Richmond Voter Districts and who serves a 4-year term)
• Members of Richmond City Council (elected by Richmond Voter District to serve four-year terms)
• Richmond Public Schools Board Trustees (elected by Richmond Voter District to serve four-year terms)
Virginia Constitutional Officers (Elected Government Officials)
Additional local positions we elect persons to include Virginia Constitutional Officers, which serve at the Richmond level but are established by the Virginia Constitution and are independent of local government. These positions are elected in Richmond citywide (not by district) but voting may be affected due to changes to voting precincts and locations, they include:
• A Richmond Sheriff (elected citywide to serve a 4-year term)
• A Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney of Richmond (elected citywide to serve a 4-year term)
• A Richmond Clerk of the Court (elected citywide to serve an 8-year term)
• A Richmond Treasurer (elected citywide to serve a 4-year term)
National and State Elected Government Officials
Voting for the following national and state positions may also be affected due to changes to Richmond voting precincts and locations (Note: Decennial redistricting of voter districts in which these positions are elected will be performed in 2011 by the Virginia General Assembly:
• A President/Vice President of the United States of America (elected nationally to serve a 4-year term)
• Members of the United States Senate (elected statewide to serve 6-year terms)
• Members of the United States House of Representatives (elected by state districts to serve 2-year terms)
• Members of the Virginia State Senate (elected by state districts to serve 4-year terms)
• Members of the Virginia House of Delegates (elected by state districts to serve 2-year terms)
Member of the 2009–2012 RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL _____________________________________
PRESIDENT (2009-2010 and 2011-2012)
The Honorable Kathy Graziano
Councilwoman, Richmond City Council - Southwest 4th District
804.320.2454 (office tel); 339.8393 (mobile)
kathy.graziano@richmondgov.com (email)
VICE PRESIDENT (2009-2010 and 2011-2012)
The Honorable Ellen F. Robertson
Councilwoman, Richmond City Council - Gateway 6th District
804.646.5724 (office tel); 314.7658 (mobile)
ellen.robertson@richmondgov.com (email)
West End 1st District
The Honorable Bruce W. Tyler, Councilman
Richmond City Council - West End 1st District
804.357.6007 (mobile)
bruce.tyler@richmondgov.com (email)
North Central 2nd District
The Honorable Charles R. Samuels, Councilman
Richmond City Council - North Central 2nd District
804.646.6532 (office tel); 690.0898 (mobile)
charles.samuels@richmondgov.com (email)
Northside 3rd District
The Honorable Christopher A. Hilbert, Councilman
Richmond City Council - Northside 3rd District
804.646.6055 (office tel) 306.0875 (mobile)
chris.hilbert@richmondgov.com (email)
Central 5th District
The Honorable E. Martin Jewell, Councilman
Richmond City Council - Central 5th District
804.646.5724 (office tel); 332.3654 (mobile)
marty.jewell@richmondgov.com (email)
East End 7th District
The Honorable Cynthia I. Newbille, Councilwoman*
Richmond City Council - East End 7th District
804.646.3012 (office tel)
cynthia.newbille@richmondgov.com (email)
*Elected November 3, 2009 in special local election
Southside 8th District
The Honorable Reva M. Trammell, Councilwoman
Richmond City Council - Southside 8th District
804.646.6592 (office tel); 240.5050 (mobile)
reva.trammell@richmondgov.com (email)
South Central 9th District
The Honorable Douglas G. Conner, Jr., Councilman
Richmond City Council - South Central 9th District
804.646.6592 (office tel); 512,0500 (mobile)
doug.conner@richmondgov.com (email)
MAILING ADDRESS/WEBSITE
RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
Richmond City Hall - 900 East Broad Street, Suite 305
Richmond, Virginia 23219 - 804.646.7955
www.council.richmondva.gov (website)
Richmond City Council __________________________________________________________________
MISSION The mission of Richmond City Council is to represent citizens in creating and amending local laws, providing government policy and oversight, and approving the city budget.
VISION Richmond City Council is committed to creating a vibrant community that is a great place to live, work, learn, play, visit and raise a family.
______________________________________
Steven R. Skinner, APR
Council Public Information Manager
RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL CHIEF OF STAFF
Richmond City Hall
900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804.646.6052 (office)
804.335.4054 (mobile)
804.937.1386 (home/mobile)
804.646.5468 (fax)
steven.skinner@richmondgov.com (email)
www.council.richmondva.gov(website)
____________________________________________
MISSION The mission of Richmond City Council
is to represent citizens in creating and amending
local laws, providing government policy and
oversight, and approving the city budget.
VISION Richmond City Council is committed to
creating a vibrant community that is a great place
to live, work, learn, play, visit and raise a family.