Redistricting Lexington
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Redesigning the Process / The Final Maps / Local Redistricting Basics / Our Redistricting Work / More
Redesigning the Redistricting Process
How is Lexington’s Redistricting Process changing?
In the fall of 2022, several Lexington Council Members initiated a Workgroup to examine Lexington’s local redistricting process and recommend some changes to make it more efficient and equitable. You can look at the full list of recommendations in this meeting packet here.
The changes that were adopted are as follows:
Appointees who serve on the Redistricting Committee (the body of members, appointed by Council, that draws the new maps every ten years) must agree to not run for District Council in the next five years after their appointment.
Adjusting language so that major arterial roads and other corridors should be considered as boundaries for districts — this is a change from previous rules stating that certain corridors must be boundaries for districts.
Removing the previously existing rule that Councils should not be removed from their districts as new maps are drawn.
Removing the rule the existing neighborhood associations should not be split into different districts.
Updates on the process changes:
The Final Redistricting Maps
The Final Redistricting Maps have been adopted
Tonight (12/7), the Urban County Council gave second reading to an Ordinance to adopt the recommendations of the Redistricting Commission. The measure passed unanimously through the Council, and the new districts go into effect immediately.
In a Committee of the Whole just an hour earlier, Council considered options to delay enactment of the new districts. Ultimately, despite several Council Members disapproving of the new maps and the process, the new map was approved.
The adopted map (pictured above) moves 46 precincts into new districts, causing the Council district of almost 50,000 Lexington residents to change immediately.
📮 Redistricting Lexington Newsletters:
🏢 Redistricting Committee Updates:
The basics of local redistricting
What is Redistricting?
It’s the process of changing the size and shape of political districts to adjust for how communities grow and change. These districts can be at the national (congressional districts), state (state legislature), and local (council & school board) levels.
How often does it happen?
Every ten years following the US Census.
How does Redistricting affect me?
Specifically, it determines who you can vote for. More broadly, it has big implications for our entire political system. The way these districts are drawn can advantage or disadvantage different neighborhoods, communities, and racial groups.
How does it work for Lexington’s City Council Districts?
After Census results are released, the Vice Mayor’s Office starts the process by asking each council member to pick a resident from their district to represent their constituents. This group of residents works with the city’s mapping department to draw new district boundaries.
What are Lexington’s Redistricting Guidelines?
There are a lot of them! So, we’ve put them into a summary folder, which you can access by clicking the link below.
Lexington's Redistricting Guidelines
The districts should have population equality, with total deviation of no more than 10%.The existing precincts shall be the basic unit for aggregating the new council districts.
The existing voting precincts shall not be split or precinct boundaries changed.
Each district shall be composed of closely arranged precincts which are concentrated into a limited area. (UCG 4.03)
Each district shall be composed of adjoining precincts sharing common boundaries.
The precinct population shall be based upon the 2020 Census redistricting data.
The districts should reflect particular community interests or a range of characteristics including: aggregating areas with similar physical, cultural, or socio-economic characteristics. (UCG 4.03)
The districts should accommodate relative rates of future growth such that districts that are in growth areas will have a population in the lower range of the ideal population. (UCG 4.03)
New districts should be formed with as little change as possible to existing districts.
Keeping the Councilmember in their current district should be a priority.
If possible, recognized neighborhood associations should not be split into different council districts.
Arterial highways and other corridors that have been used as boundaries should be considered in defining district boundaries.
The Committee recommendations will be submitted for Council approval in time for final approval prior to November 3rd, which is the earliest date individuals can file to become candidates in the 2022 election.
What was the committee considering?
The Redistricting Lexington Committee was debating a number of approaches to redrawing Urban County Council boundaries, but they mostly centered around drawing council districting in two different ways - one incremental, and one compact.
Take a look:
Incremental approach
Compact approach
CivicLex’s Redistricting Projects
Chapter Summaries from the Redistricting Lexington Book Club:"
Follow along with our Redistricting Lexington Book Club readings here.
More Redistricting Resources
Our Favorite Books on Redistricting:
Race, Redistricting, and Representation by David T. Canon
Gerrymanderers: How Redistricting Has Protected Slavery, White Supremacy, and Partisan Minorities in Virginia by Brent Tarter
The Realities of Redistricting by Jonathan Winburn
Redistricting: The Most Political Activity in America by Charles S. Bullock III
Redistricting Blogs we follow:
What are we listening to?
FiveThirtyEight’s Gerrymandering Podcast
Democracy Works’ One State’s Fight for Fair Maps Podcast
Civics 101 podcast’s Gerrymandering episode