Richmond
City Council /
News Release
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sharing, forwarding, and posting
21 December 2021
Richmond City Council - Richmond Decennial Voter District
Redistricting commenced
Richmond,
Virginia – The Richmond City Council -
Richmond Decennial Voter District Redistricting process commenced today, during
the public Richmond
City Council Special Meeting (https://richmondva.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=915927&GUID=5DF95F00-A1BA-44BA-8717-F33EB926B59D&Options=info|&Search=), with the adoption of Richmond
City Council Resolution # 2021-R084 (https://richmondva.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=915927&GUID=5DF95F00-A1BA-44BA-8717-F33EB926B59D&Options=info|&Search=), a resolution for
establishing criteria and a timeline to assist in guiding its public 2021/2022 Richmond Decennial Voter
District Redistricting process and plan creation for reapportioning and
redistricting the nine local Richmond Voter Districts. The Richmond
Voter Districts are to be reapportioned in 2022.
The
intent of the redistricting criteria and timeline is for a process and plan to
be fair, equitable, and inclusive and to provide opportunity for public input
on behalf of Richmond residents.
Richmond
City Council continues to be committed to ensuring the 2021/2022 Richmond
Decennial Voter District Redistricting process and plan are clearly defined,
transparent, inclusive, and equitable and are driven by and responsive to providing
opportunity for public engagement, involvement, inclusion, discussion,
awareness, feedback, deliberation, comment, and input on behalf of Richmond
residents.
Richmond residents are again solicited, invited, and encouraged
to participate and be engaged and involved in meetings and to share their comments,
thoughts, and/or ideas regarding the 2021/2022 Richmond Decennial Voter District Redistricting process
and any proposed plan or plans.
The 2021/2022
Richmond Decennial Voter District Redistricting timeline schedule will include
additional dates and opportunities for public discussion, as determined and scheduled.
Upcoming dates include the following:
· January 24, 2022
Introduction of redistricting plan or plans for public comment
· January 25, 2022
30-day public comment period begins
Virginia Code of Laws § 24.2-129(B)
· February 14, 2022
Public hearing on proposed plan or plans
Virginia Code of Laws § 24.2-129(B)
· February 28, 2022
Public hearing and adoption of final redistricting plan
Publish notice of final redistricting plan
Virginia Code of Laws § 24.2-129(C)
· March 30, 2022
Adopted redistricting plan takes effect
Virginia Code of Laws § 24.2-129(C)
Public input is actively solicited, requested, encouraged, and invited
Richmond City Council solicits, encourages, invites, and requests
interested Richmond residents, in accordance with Virginia law, to offer,
submit, suggest, and share public comments, including (but not limited to)
data, questions, alternate plans, suggestions, etc., via the following helpful
ways:
a.
Mail at:
Richmond
City Council
Richmond
Decennial Voter District Redistricting
Richmond
City Hall
900 E.
Broad Street, Suite 305
Richmond,
Virginia 23219
b.
Fax at:
804.646.5468
c.
Email at:
Contact Richmond Decennial Voter District
Redistricting information portal via email, at redistricting@rva.gov.
Richmond residents will continue to have numerous opportunities for
public hearing, input, discussion, awareness, engagement, feedback,
deliberations, and comment on the 2021/2022 Richmond Decennial Voter District
Redistricting process and any proposed plan or plans.
The intent
of the redistricting process is for public participation in the plan
creation for reapportioning and redistricting of the nine local Richmond Voter
Districts and be fair, inclusive
and equitable and provide opportunity for public input and additional community opportunities
and dates will be provided as needed. Community
solicitation of input will be conducted.
Richmond Analysis of the 2020 U.S.
Census Data
Total 2020 Population: 226,610
According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census - 2020 U.S.
Census numbers released in late 2020, Richmond’s population increased 11
percent over the past 10 years and
now sits at 226,610. This increase is significant and represents the largest in the last 40
years. With nine local Richmond Voter Districts, this means that “ideal”
Districts would have about 25,179 persons living in them to make them evenly distributed. Deviations around 5% percent are
generally acceptable.
Three Richmond Voter Districts with
substantial changes
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Richmond has three voter districts
whose numbers are outside a five percent deviation of what represents an
“ideal” number of about 25,179 persons living in them (which is the total
population divided by nine Richmond Voter Districts). These include the
Richmond North Central 2nd Voter District (+2,019 more residents) with a
deviation of 8.02%; the Richmond Northside 3rd Voter District (-2,943 less
residents) with a deviation of -11.69%; and, the Gateway 6th Voter District
(1,752 more residents) with a deviation of 6.96%.
About Redistricting
Every 10 years (Decennially), following the release of the decennial
census by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, voter districts across the nation are
updated (reapportioned and redistricted) to reflect population shifts and
changes in over that time in order to provide equality of representation on
behalf of voting residents when participating in general, primary, and/or
special governmental elections.
How
Richmond Voter Districts are used
To operate our local government services, our city
is divided into nine geographic/demographic Richmond Voter Districts. We, as
Richmond residents, use these to elect individual local members of Richmond
City Council, Richmond Public Schools Board of Trustees, and a Mayor (who must
earn the most votes in five of the nine Richmond Voter Districts).
Richmond Redistricting
State law requires Richmond City Council to reapportion/redistrict the
nine local Richmond Voter Districts boundaries every 10 year based on U.S.
Census data. This is known as the Richmond Decennial Voter District Redistricting
process. The updated Richmond Voter Districts are to be established in 2022.
Richmonders
interested in the process
Richmonders interested in the process are encouraged, invited, and requested to please take the
opportunity to contact the
Richmond City Council member that represents them (https://www.rva.gov/richmond-city-council/council-contacts) for more information and/or to share
their thoughts and ideas regarding redistricting.
Find Your Richmond Voter District
Richmond residents not sure who their individual
Councilmember representing them is, can use the following helpful portal, if
needed, to assist in identifying their individual Richmond Voter District:
· Richmond Real Estate Property Search
Database https://apps.richmondgov.com/applications/propertysearch/Search.aspx
(note: once you’ve entered your address, use the Govt. tab to
identify your Voter Districts)
Richmond City Council Redistricting
information portal
Richmond residents interested in the
redistricting process are also invited and encouraged to visit and check back
on the Richmond City Council Redistricting
information portal (https://www.rva.gov/richmond-city-council/redistricting) for updated information during the 2021/2022 Richmond Decennial
Voter District Redistricting process.
Additional information will be posted on the Council redistricting
information portal as it becomes available.
Redistricting
Criteria and Timeline created
The Redistricting criteria and timeline were determined
during the following public Richmond City Council meetings:
· December 21, 2021
Richmond
City Council Special Meeting
Richmond City
Council Meeting to adopt Redistricting Criteria and Schedule
·
December 15, 2021
Richmond City Council Governmental
Operations Standing Committee Meeting
· December
13, 2021
Richmond
City Council Formal Meeting on Monday, December 13, 2021 Which
included the
introduction of Richmond
City Council Resolution No. 2021-R084, a proposed resolution for
establishing criteria and schedule.
· December 6, 2021
Richmond
City Council Organizational Development Standing Committee meeting
· October 11, 2021
Richmond
City Council Informal meeting, October 11, 2021
Contact Richmond Decennial Voter District
Redistricting
Contact the Richmond Decennial Voter
District Redistricting information portal via email, at redistricting@rva.gov
- e n d –
Richmond City Council - Richmond City
Hall - 900 East Broad Street, Suite 305 - Richmond, Virginia 23219 U.S.A. - 804.646.2778 (tel) - 804.646.5468
(fax) - www.richmondgov.com/citycouncil
