Districting is the process by which district lines are drawn for the purpose of voting for City Councilmembers. Districting helps ensure that each Councilmember represents about the same number of constituents. The 2020 U.S. Census data released in September 2021 will be used to create districts.
Your input is needed to draw voting districts for Councilmembers, and one way you can participate is by assisting the City in developing a list of neighborhoods and “communities of interest” (COI) that can be utilized in the process to draw district lines.
What is a Community of Interest (COI)?
A Community of Interest is a group of people that: share common social or economic interests, live in a geographically defined area, and should be included within a single district for purposes of effective and fair representation in future elections.
There are some communities of interest that are considered “protected classes” in that they have rights through state or federal civil rights or voting rights laws. Some examples of protected classes in districting would be ethnic and racial minorities such as a concentration of Latinx, Asian, or African American people.
There are other potential COI that can also be considered in redistricting, such as: senior citizens, college students, people who live in a particular neighborhood, or even people who share concerns such as parents with young children, bicycle enthusiasts, topic interest groups, etc.
COI does not include relationships with political parties, incumbents, or political candidates.
What You Can Do to Participate in the Process
- Provide your comments on your neighborhood or community of interest by completing the online Communities of Interest below.
- Complete the Communities of Interest Survey below or email your responses to districtelections@toaks.org. If you need additional space for your responses to the questions, then please feel free to attach a sheet of paper.
Please note that all submissions are public record and is subject to disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act and Brown Act unless exempt from disclosure under the applicable law. Communications will NOT be edited for redactions and will be printed/posted as submitted. For further assistance or if you have any questions, please contact the City Clerk Department at (805) 449-2151 or cityclerk@toaks.org. - Attend one of the City’s public hearings and/or workshops.