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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-02-13 EC MEMOMEMORANDUM TO: Election Commission Members FROM: Pat Crow, City Clerk DATE: February 13, 1991 SUBJECT: REDISTRICTING RECOMMENDATION Attached is a copy of the Election Commission's recommendation to City Council concerning the redistricing of City Council district lines. This recommendation was approved by you at our January 22nd meeting. Since Jo Lay, Chairman, is out of the City and won't be returning until February 20, I will be presenting this information to Council at their regular meeting on February 19 (Tuesday). If any of you wish to be present, you're certainly invited. The recommendation and attached resolution was hurriedly put together, but I believe it reflects our position in this matter. Let me know if you have any concerns. And I would welcome your attendance at Council's meeting on the 19th. DATE February 19, 1991 INITIATED BY STAFF SOURCE ISSUE/ACTION PROPOSED COUNCIL COMMUNICATION AGENDA ITEM SUBJECT Recommendation Concern- ing Redistricting of City Council District Lines -1991 Initiated by Englewood Election Commission Patricia Crow, City Clerk It is t he unanimous recommendation of the Englewood Election Commission that City Counci l postpone official action on redistricting/reapportionment of City Council Distri cts until after State/County reapportionment has been completed. Current City Council Districts would remain in effect for the November 3, 1991, regular municipal electi on. PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION Council district reapportionment was revised May, 1987. STAFF ANALYSIS Case law exists which makes it imperative to base the redistricting on population numbers (one-man/one-vote law). It is the opinion of the City Attorney that unless definit i ve population figures are available by February 1, 1991, it would be impossible to make an informed recommendation to City Council in a timely manner. Initial figures have been released by the Census Bureau; however, it is the City's intent t o dispute those figures, and the outcome of the dispute and final confirm ation of population figures are not expected until late April, 1991. Mr. DeWitt indicated his support of the Election Commission's recommendation to postpone action on this matter until conclusive data is available. BACKGROUND Article III, Section 20 of the Englewood City Charter sets forth that the City shall be divid ed into four districts whose boundaries shall be established by ordinance. District s shall be contiguous and compact and have approximately the same number of registered voters as determined by the number registered to vote at the preceding regular municipal election. Districts are further required to have approximately the same number of residents. Changes in District boundaries are enacted by -1 - ~ ordin ance adopted by the City Council after rece1v1ng the recommendation of the Elect i on Commission. Factors used in District boundary reapportionment are: no more t han 5% differential between the most and least populated district; not greater than 15% between the district with the highest number of registered voters and the district with the lowest number of registered voters; compactness of district; minim al split of county precincts. The last reapportionment was completed in 1987, and by Charter reapportionment should be reviewed in 1991. The Englewood Election Commission met on January 22, 1991, to review this process. The Election Commission was advised that population figures from the 1990 census will not be available until sometime in April, 1991. The State of Colorado plans to reappo r tion its districts during 1992, appointing the State Reapportionment Commis s ion in July, 1991 to convene in August, 1991. The State Reapportionment Commis s ion must file its recommendations with the Secretary of State by March 15, 1992. The reapportionment of State Districts will affect County Precinct boundaries upon which the City's district lines are drawn. Consequently, the State's and County 's reapportionment could greatly affect the City's reapportionment. In light of these facts, the Election Commission is recommending that Council postpo ne any redistricting until after the State and County have completed its reappo r tionment in 1992. At that time, a thorough review of population and regist ered voters will be conducted by the Election Commission who will then make a recomm endation to City Council concerning any necessary redistricting to become effective six months prior to the 1993 regular municipal election. FINANCIAL This action will result in no financial impact upon the City. -2 - RESOLUTION NO. SERIES OF 1990 A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE ENGLEWOOD ELECTION COMMISSION CONCERNING REAPPORTIONMENT OF CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS. WHEREAS, the Englewood City Charter sets forth that the City be divided into four districts which shall be contiguous and compact, having approximately the same number of registered voters in each; and WHEREAS, case law exists which makes it imperative for the population of those districts to reflect no more than 5% differential between the most and the least populated district; and WHEREAS, the 1990 census population figures will not conclusively be known until April, 1991; and WHEREAS, during 1992 the State of Colorado shall reapportion its districts which action will undoubtedly affect Arapahoe County precinct boundaries upon which City district lines are drawn; and WHEREAS, the Englewood Election Commission has reviewed and determined it is unable to make a recommendation in this matter until after definitive population numbers are confirmed and State reapportionment is completed. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Englewood, Colorado, to postpone, for the present time, all action concerning reapportionment of City Council Districts. The Englewood Election Commission is advised to thoroughly review matters relating to the State of Colorado Reapportionment as those matters affect the County of Arapahoe and the City of Englewood; further, the Englewood Election Commission shall make recommendations to City Council concerning necessary reapportionment of City Council Districts in order for that reapportionment to become effective six months prior to the 1993 regular mun i cipal election. ADOPTED AND APPROVED this 19th day of February 1991 . Susan Van Dyke, Mayor ATTEST: Patricia H. Crow, City Clerk I, Patricia H. Crow, City Clerk for the City of Englewood, Colorado, hereby certify the above is a true copy of Resolution No. ~-' Series of 1991. Patricia H. Crow, City Clerk -3 -