Before the elections next year for Seattle’s seven by-district City Council seats, the boundaries for those seven districts will be redrawn, to reflect population changes. For months, a volunteer commission has been working on drafting new boundaries – we reported on their initial four draft maps in February. Now the commission, chaired by Admiral resident and former mayor Greg Nickels, has come up with one final draft, and is seeking opinions. Above is the section including the proposed new boundaries for District 1, which currently spans West Seattle and South Park, but would expand to add SODO, Georgetown, and part of downtown. See the full citywide draft map here in PDF, or here in an interactive format. From the city’s announcement:
Over the past five months, the Commission has hosted or participated in more than 50 community information sessions, a community survey, and seven public forums to gather feedback from the public about the redistricting process and its potential impact on neighborhoods. This process has resulted in the Commission adopting a draft map of new City Council District boundaries. Members of the public are invited to submit public comment on the draft map and its proposed district boundaries. …
The Commission’s draft map was generated at an open public meeting of the Seattle Redistricting Commission on August 2 and was informed by the public comments submitted over the last five months. The map follows City Charter and state-mandated criteria using geographic information system (GIS) expertise and 2020 Census data to draw new boundaries and establish districts that are compact, contiguous, and approximately equal in population. The map also accounts for additional factors such as – to the extent practical – following existing district boundaries, recognizing waterways and geographic boundaries, and preserving Seattle’s existing communities and neighborhoods.
Public Comment
A discussion of the final draft map will now begin and both public comment and participation are requested by the Seattle Redistricting Commission. Members of the public can review the final draft map and offer feedback at seattle.gov/redistricting/how-to-participate.
The designated public comment period is open from (today) until the date the Commission files the final district plan, which is currently scheduled to be November 8, 2022, and shall be no later than November 15, 2022.
If you would like to obtain a physical copy of the draft map, please contact Logan Drummond at Logan.Drummond@seattle.gov. You can also find a copy at the customer service desk in Seattle City Hall, located at 600 Fourth Avenue.
Public comment can be made:
In-person at one of three Public Forums
–Public Forum #1: Tuesday, August 9th, 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Physical Location: Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Boards & Commissions Room L280
Virtual Link: us06web.zoom.us/j/84697105761
-Public Forum #2: September – date and time TBD
-Public Forum #3: October – date and time TBD
-In-person at any regularly scheduled Seattle Redistricting Commission meeting. Check the Seattle Redistricting Commission website for dates and times.
-In writing using the Seattle Redistricting Commission’s public comment submission form.If you would like more information or to request interpretation services for any of the public forums, please contact Elsa Batres-Boni at Elsa.Batres-Boni@seattle.gov or 206-256-6198.
To compare the proposed boundaries with the current ones – which reflect how the districts were drawn for the first by-district elections in 2015 – see the current map here.
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