Richmond City
Council /
News Release
For
sharing, forwarding, and posting
4 February 2022
Richmond
Redistricting Population updated: Three upcoming public map drawing sessions
Three
successful information sessions held, three upcoming map drawing sessions, web info
portal, and public hearings
Richmond,
Virginia – Following its three successful Richmond Decennial Voter District
Redistricting Public Information and Engagement Meetings held last month,
Richmond City Council will be holding three scheduled meetings this month detailing
the Public Drawing of Richmond Voter District Map Options on February 9, 10,
and 11 (per schedule below).
In
continued efforts to further increase accuracy and transparency regarding the
Richmond Redistricting Process in anticipation of the upcoming public drawing
of Richmond Voter District Map Options sessions, Richmond’s population numbers were
adjusted to comply with Virginia law and updated this week.
The adjusted Richmond population
numbers were updated to respond to recently amended state law regarding redistricting
performed 2021 onward - in that population numbers used for reapportionment and
redistricting are to reflect persons incarcerated in federal prisons
and in state and local correctional facilities, including city jails - and reassign
them to their pre-incarceration home residence.
The adjusted population numbers to be used for Richmond
Redistricting map drawing will be 228,501, up from current U.S. Census numbers of
226,610.
Richmond Overview/Analysis
Richmond
Redistricting and updates information as follows:
·
Total 2021-2022 Richmond Redistricting Population: 228,501
Includes U.S. Bureau of
the Census - 2020 U.S. Census Richmond population
(226,610), as adjusted
by the Virginia General Assembly Division
of Legislative Services (increase of 1,891) for a total population for reapportionment
and redistricting of 228,501.
·
The adjusted population for Redistricting,
which are dispersed throughout the city, adds 1,891 persons to Census
numbers.
·
Because there are nine local Richmond Voter
Districts, dividing the adjusted Richmond Redistricting Population of 228,501
by nine to find the average or “ideal”
number of persons living in each District results in 25,389
per District.
·
Variances/deviations of no greater than 5 percent
above or below the “ideal” population per District, are generally acceptable.
The
adjusted Redistricting population numbers include Census numbers and persons who
were incarcerated in Virginia
and provided Richmond as their home address, as adjusted by the
Virginia General Assembly Division of Legislative Services pursuant to the
Virginia Code of Laws § 24.2-314, et seq.).
Four Richmond Voter Districts have changes beyond 5%
variance/deviation
With the
adjusted population numbers, the city now has four (up from a previous three) Richmond
Voter Districts whose numbers are outside a five percent variance/deviation of
what represents an “ideal” number of 25,389 persons living in them (which is
the total population divided by nine Richmond Voter Districts). These include:
·
Richmond North
Central 2nd Voter District
Adjusted Richmond
Redistricting population makes the Richmond North Central 2nd Voter District over
the “ideal” population (of 25,389) by +1,871 residents, with a variance of +7.37% (Previous variance, using just U.
S. Census population, was +8.02 %). This means the Richmond North Central 2nd Voter District would need to
move at least an estimated 614 people out of that district to be within +5%
variance.
·
Richmond Northside
3rd Voter District
Adjusted Richmond
Redistricting population makes the Richmond Northside 3rd Voter District under the
“ideal” population (of 25,389) by -2,794 residents, with a variance of -11.00% (Previous variance, using just U. S. Census population, was -11.69%). This
means the Richmond Northside
3rd Voter District would
need to move at least an estimated 1537 people into of that district to
be within -5% variance.
·
Richmond Gateway
6th Voter District
Adjusted Richmond
Redistricting population makes the Richmond Gateway 6th Voter District over the
“ideal” population (of 25,389) by +1,439 residents, with a variance of +5.67% (Previous variance, using just U. S. Census population, was +6.96%). This means the
Richmond Gateway 6th
Voter District would
need to move at least an estimated 182 people out of that district to be
within +5% variance.
·
Richmond East End
7th Voter District
Adjusted Richmond
Redistricting population makes the Richmond East End 7th Voter District over the
“ideal population (of 25,389) by +1,294 residents, with a variance of +5.10% (Previous variance, using just U.
S. Census population, was +4.29%). This means the
Richmond East End 7th
Voter District would
need to move at least an estimated 37 people out of that district to be
within +5% variance.
Public Engagement, Information, and
Participation
Richmond residents are invited and encouraged to participate
and be involved in the 2021/2022 Richmond
Decennial Voter District Redistricting process and to share their comments, thoughts, and/or ideas regarding proposed plan or plans to be considered. The Richmond
Voter Districts are to be redistricted in 2022.
Upcoming Richmond City Council - Richmond
Decennial Voter District Redistricting process, anticipated meetings for public
involvement, awareness, and input include the following:
· Wednesday,
February 9, 2022; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Public
drawing of Richmond Voter District Map Options
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only) +1 804-316-9457,,64248149# United States, Richmond
Phone
Conference ID: 642 481 49#
· Thursday, February
10, 2022; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Public
drawing of Richmond Voter District Map Options
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only) +1 804-316-9457,,64248149# United States, Richmond
Phone
Conference ID: 642 481 49#
· Friday, February
11, 2022; Noon-2:00 p.m.
Public
drawing of Richmond Voter District Map Options
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only) +1 804-316-9457,,64248149# United States, Richmond
Phone
Conference ID: 642 481 49#
· Monday, February
14, 2022; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Richmond
City Council Formal Meeting
Anticipated
adoption of amendments to Council Res. No. 2021-R084 (revised redistricting
schedule)
· Monday, February
28, 2022; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Richmond
City Council Formal Meeting
Anticipated
introduction of draft Redistricting plan/plans for public comment https://richmondva.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=859300&GUID=8160C8AA-3AE6-4C01-B51D-F3BD6DC3C5C7&Options=info|&Search=
· Tuesday, March 1,
2022; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
30 Day Public
Comment Period on draft Redistricting plan/plans begins
· Monday, April 11,
2022; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Richmond
City Council Formal Meeting
Public hearing on
proposed plan/plans (public comment continues)
· Monday, April 25,
2022; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Richmond
City Council Formal Meeting
Final day for
public comment (56 days of public comment)
Final public
hearing and adoption of final redistricting plan
Publish notice of
final redistricting plan
· Thursday, May 26,
2022
Adopted
Redistricting plan takes effect
Missed a session and/or
want to view a replay: Direct links to Information & Engagement Meeting
Videos!
Redistricting
Information Videos
· Thursday, January 20, 2022; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Council
Redistricting Information and Engagement Meeting
https://richmondva.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=2859
·
Friday,
January 21, 2022; Noon-2:00 p.m.
Council
Redistricting Information and Engagement Meeting
https://richmondva.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=2862
· Thursday,
January 27, 2022; 5:00-6:30 p.m.
Council Redistricting Information and Engagement Meeting
-
Meeting Video
https://richmondva.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=2862
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 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 webpage
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 webpage 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.
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 during 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 local Richmond
Voter Districts boundaries every 10 years 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.
Public input is actively solicited,
requested, encouraged, and invited
Richmond City
Council also 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: Richmond City Council/Richmond Decennial Voter District
Redistricting
Richmond City Hall; 900 E.
Broad Street, Suite 305; Richmond, Virginia 23219
b.
Fax: 804.646.5468
c.
Email at: Contact Richmond Decennial Voter District Redistricting information portal via email, at redistricting@rva.gov.
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.
- 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
