HomeMy WebLinkAboutA004 - Letter from the General Assembly of Iowa, Legislative Service Bureau dated November 2, 1999 R
LEGAL COUNSELS DIANE E. BOLENDER
Douglas L.Adkisson GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA DIRECTOR
Edwin G.Cook
Susan E.Crowley RICHARD L. JOHNSON
Patricia A.Funaro o"ate w DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Michael J.Goedert
Nicole R.Haatvedt A, JOHN C. POLLAK
Janet S.Johnson COMMITTEE SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR
Mark W.Johnson A.
LESLIE E. W. HICKEY
Timothy C.McDermott
Joseph E.McEniry IOWA CODE EDITOR
Richard S.Nelson KATHLEEN K. BATES
RESEARCH ANALYSTS LEGISLATIVE SERVICE BUREAU ADMINISTRATIVE CODE EDITOR
Kathleen B.Hanlon JULIE E. LIVERS
Thane R.Johnson ] STATE CAPITOL
LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION OFFICE DIRECTOR
/f DES MOINES, IOWA 50319
(515) 281-3566
FAX (515)281-8027
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rs� November 2, 1999
MS-pia Ryan MS Di`o i i�Uo ss NOV — 31999
City Clerk ,
i.
PO Box 811CITY Cis?K
Ames, IA 50010-0811 CITTY CITY APIr.S,IOy")A
Dear Ms. Ryan:
The Iowa Legislative Service Bureau is currently working on Phase 2 (the Voting District
Project) of the Census 2000 Redistricting Data Program. This is our opportunity to submit to the
Census Bureau the boundaries of precincts that will be needed to perform legislative redistricting
in early 2001. The Census Bureau will then provide us with the 2000 census population data
corresponding to each precinct submitted to them in Phase 2. Once we have that data (probably
in February or March of 2001), we will begin development of new Senate and House district
plans.
The enclosed map(s) delineate, as closely as possible, the actual voting districts for your city
according to the information which is on file with the Secretary of State elections office. We have
attempted to follow the current legal voting districts whenever possible. However, due to the
strict guidelines imposed upon us by the Census Bureau, it is sometimes necessary for us to
"adjust" the precinct boundaries to follow "acceptable" nearby features. For example, many
voting districts follow imaginary street extensions and property lines that the Census Bureau does
not recognize on their maps. Typically, these are the types of precinct boundaries we will need to
adjust. Please note that any adjusted precinct boundaries we report to the Census Bureau in
Phase 2 are for the purposes of legislative redistricting only. No precinct changes need to be
made at the local level. However, be aware that a new Senate or House district boundary created
by our office during the redistricting process in 2001 could follow any urban precinct boundary
reported during Phase 2, whether it has been adjusted or not!
Please inspect the precinct boundaries (shown in purple) delineated on the enclosed map(s).
These maps use the 1998 corporate limits (shown in yellow), so recent annexations do not appear.
Any precinct boundaries requiring an adjustment have been circled, so inspect those areas
carefully. I have already adjusted all boundaries that required it, based upon my best guess for an
alternative boundary. Usually, I have made adjustments to the nearest feature acceptable to the
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Census Bureau, such as a road, river or railroad. Please feel free to suggest another boundary in
case I've chosen something that is unacceptable to you.
Also note that all legislative districts must be made up of contiguous territory (city territory that is
contiguous at a point to the remainder of the city is not considered to be contiguous). For this
reason, you may notice on the maps that small, embedded pieces of townships often found within
a city are included with the precinct surrounding it. Conversely, small, non-contiguous pieces of
cities have been included with the precincts surrounding them.
If I do not hear from you by December 31, 1999, 1 will assume that you approve of the precinct
boundaries and other information shown on the enclosed map(s). If you have any questions about
the maps, notice any errors on the maps, or want to suggest alternative precinct boundaries,
please call me at (515) 242-5925 or email me at grudici@legis.state.ia.us.
Thank you very much for your attention in this matter.
Sincerely, +1
Gary D. Rudicil
Sr. Computer Systems Analyst
Enclosure