"Unhappy with your political leadership? Oakland’s 2013 Redistricting Process is your once-in-a-decade chance to influence who’ll represent you at the most local level." ~ Libby Schaaf, City Councilor, District 4
Redistricting is the redrawing or adjusting of electoral district boundaries for governmental entities to ensure that they are balanced with the same number of residents so that each each City Councilor represents the same number of people. It is how we abide by the constitutional principle of equal representation--one person, one vote.
Every 10 years, as required by the City Charter, the City of Oakland must review its City Council District boundaries and adjust them (as needed) to be "as equal as possible in population" based on official population figures provided by the U.S. Census Bureau from the latest decennial census. At the end of this process, the City Council adopts an ordinance setting forth the new boundaries of each City Council District.
City Council District areas and borders were last adjusted by ordinance and their populations balanced in 2003 using the 2000 census.
According to the 2010 Census, Oakland's population is 390,724. District populations are out of balance: 2 are above, 3 are below, and 2 are close to the target population of 55,818. Consequently, significant changes will need to be made in order to evenly distribute population between the districts.
On June 4, 2013, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 84443, which sets forth the following criteria for the 2013 Redistricting, in order of priority:
- Each Council district shall contain a nearly equal number of inhabitants.
- Council district borders shall be drawn in a manner that complies with the United States Constitution and the Federal Voting Rights Act.
- Council districts shall respect communities of interest as much as possible.
- Council districts shall consist of contiguous territory in a reasonably compact form.
- Council district borders shall follow visible natural and man-made geographical and topographical features as much as possible.
- The population and territory of each existing Council district shall be considered when drawing each corresponding new Council district.
- Districts should avoid displacing any incumbent City Council member or Oakland Unified School District Board member from the district he/she was elected to represent.
Clear communication about redistricting, community participation, and transparency will be essential throughout the process.
High-Level Summary & Timeline
June 4: City Council Meeting on Redistricting Schedule and Criteria
July 10 -13: Public Workshop/Forum
August 12: Deadline for Plan Submissions by the Public
September 5,7 & 8: Public Workshop/Forum
October 3: Rules and Legislation Committee Meeting
October 15: Council Hearing on Plan Selection - Review of District Alternatives
November 5: First Council Hearing on Redistricting Ordinance
November 19: First Council Hearing and Adoption of Redistricting Ordinance
Public Input: Create Your Own Redistricting Plan
The City of Oakland has made this online redistricting tool available to individuals and groups who would like to prepare, submit, and share their own redistricting plan.City of Oakland 2013 Redistricting Webpage
The City of Oakland's official redistricting webpage is packed with information about the redistricting process and timeline. Among other things, it includes a link to
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