City of Gainesville - File #: 120311.

• File #: 120311.
• Version: 5
• Name: Citizen Election Districts Review Committee Report
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Filed
• File created: 10/1/2012
• In control: City Commission
• On agenda: 11/15/2012
• Final action: 2/7/2013
• Title: ELECTION DISTRICTS - REDISTRICTING BASED ON 2010 CENSUS DATA (B) Ordinance No. 120311 An ordinance of the City of Gainesville, Florida, amending Section 9-1.1 Election districts of the Code of Ordinances by redistricting the City of Gainesville into four ratably or equally proportioned election districts as required by law; making findings; providing a severability clause; providing a repealing clause; and providing an immediate effective date.

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
12/20/2012	5	City Commission	Adopted on Final Reading (Ordinance)	Pass
12/6/2012	5	City Commission	Adopted on First Reading (Ordinance)	Pass
11/15/2012	5	City Commission	Continued (1st Reading)	Pass
11/15/2012	3		Continued (1st Reading)
10/18/2012	1	City Commission	Approved, as shown above (Main Motion)	Pass

title
ELECTION DISTRICTS - REDISTRICTING BASED ON 2010 CENSUS DATA (B)

Ordinance No. 120311
An ordinance of the City of Gainesville, Florida, amending Section 9-1.1 Election districts of the Code of Ordinances by redistricting the City of Gainesville into four ratably or equally proportioned election districts as required by law; making findings; providing a severability clause; providing a repealing clause; and providing an immediate effective date.

recommendation
The City Commission adopt the proposed ordinance.

explanation
Section 2.02 of the Charter Laws of the City of Gainesville requires apportionment of the City into 4 election districts for the purpose of electing district commissioners to the City Commission. In addition, Section 2.02 also requires the City Commission to adjust the boundary lines of the districts whenever, in its judgment, the districts are not ratably or equally proportioned in accordance with the Florida Constitution and the Constitution of the United States, but not less frequently than within the second year following each decennial census. The City Commission last completed a census-based redistricting in the City in 2002 taking into account data from the 2000 census. Therefore, in accordance with Section 2.02, the City Commission is required to redistrict within the second year following the 2010 census.

In order to accomplish the redistricting effort, the City Commission on March 1, 2012, appointed a Citizen Election District Review Committee consisting of residents of the City of Gainesville, including a citizen representative from each district, to review and recommend any changes in the size and areas of the four election districts. The City Commission also approved the contract with Dr. Kenneth Wald, Professor at the Political Science Department of the University of Florida, an expert in the field of redistricting and apportionment and who previously performed these services for the City. The City Attorney'...