HomeMy WebLinkAboutA012 - Council Action Form dated July 24, 2001 e`
Item#
DATE
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
SUBJECT: Wards and Precincts
BACKGROUND:
The Iowa General Assembly, in response to the reapportionment of the seats in the U.S. House of
Representatives based on the 2000 census,has enacted new congressional and legislative districts.
Therefore, the City Council is now directed by Section 49.7 Code of Iowa to make the changes in
ward and precinct boundaries needed to comply with Sections 49.3 and 49.5 Code of Iowa,before
September 1, 2001. The Code requirements for new wards and precincts are:
a) No precinct boundary can have a population of more than 3,500.
b) A precinct boundary cannot cross a legislative district boundary.
c) All territory in a precinct must be contiguous.
d) Precinct boundaries must follow the boundaries of areas for which official population
figures are available.
e) Ward boundaries must follow precinct boundaries.
f) Ward populations shall,as nearly as"practicable",have a population determined by
dividing the number of wards into the population of the City.
g) All wards shall be composed of contiguous territory as compact as practicable.
h) Consideration shall not be given to the addresses of incumbent office holders,
political affiliation of registered voters, previous election results, or demographic
information other than population head counts.
i) The number of precincts shall serve the convenience of the voters.
j) Precinct boundaries can be easily described to and identified by voters.
k) The precincts contain potential polling places accessible by reasonably direct routes
of travel.
The wards and precincts are adopted by means of an ordinance. The procedure is as follows:
a) Before final adoption of the ordinance,the Council shall permit the County Auditor
not less than seven days and not more than ten days time to offer comments on the
proposed reprecincting.
0 ( b) A public hearing shall be held before final adoption of the ordinance.
c) After enactment of the ordinance, the City must notify the County Auditor and the
Secretary of State, and provide to each a map showing the new boundary lines, not
later than September 1.
d) The City Council shall certify to the Secretary of State the population of the new
election precincts, not later than September 1.
i
The new wards and precincts become effective on January 15, 2001, and shall be used for all
subsequent elections.
The City staff worked with a professional map making service to produce the attached maps showing
new wards and precinct boundaries with the populations indicated.
ANALYSIS:
The wards and precincts shown on the attached map will meet statutory requirements. To make the
September 1 deadline, it will be necessary for the Council to suspend the rule of three passages of
the ordinance, or schedule a special meeting for the third passage.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Direct the City Attorney to prepare the ordinance on the basis of the attached map, and set
the date for hearing and first passage of the ordinance for August 14.
2. Give staff direction for revisions to the map of wards and precincts, and direct that the
ordinance be prepared on the basis of those revisions, and set the date of hearing and first
passage of the ordinance reflecting the Council revisions, for August 14.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
1. Direct the preparation of the ordinance on the basis of the attached map, and set the date of
hearing and first passage of the ordinance for August 14, 2001.
COUNCIL ACTION:
CAF-Wards and Precincts-072001