TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Linda A. Nemeroff, District Secretary
SUBJECT: Redistricting Project Update
BRIEFING ITEM
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider receiving report on the current AC Transit Ward boundaries as aligned with 2020 the U.S. Census data.
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
There is no strategic importance associated with this report.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no budgetary/fiscal impact associated with this report.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
The purpose of this report is to update that Board on how the District’s current ward boundaries align with the 2020 Census population data, which will provide a window into what to expect in the upcoming Redistricting Project. Based on current Census data, AC Transit currently has a total population of 1,572,982 which represents an increase of 9.4% over 2010 population figures. When the current population count is divided by five, the ideal population for each ward is 314,596 (ideal population in 2010 was 284,743). Determining ideal population is center to the redistricting process because it determines how much adjustment will be required in each ward in terms of boundary movement.
Outlined below is the current population deviation for each of the five wards (a more detailed population summary is provided in Attachment 2):
|
Ward |
Ideal Population |
Actual Population |
Population Deviation Numeric |
Population Deviation % |
|
1 |
314,596 |
315,110 |
514 |
.163 |
|
2 |
314,596 |
322,305 |
7,709 |
2.45 |
|
3 |
314,596 |
314,432 |
-164 |
-.052 |
|
4 |
314,596 |
312,633 |
-1,983 |
-.0624 |
|
5 |
314,596 |
308,502 |
-6,094 |
-1.937 |
The population summary provided above shows that population adjustments will be required in every ward even though Wards 1 and 3 are within range of the ideal population figure. It should be noted that for the purposes of redistricting, population need not be exact, but as near as practicable to equal, taking into account the Voting Rights Act, communities of interest, compactness, contiguity and other redistricting criteria. By redistricting standards, “near as practicable” is considered to be a deviation of less than 5%, so the current wards are well within this standard. With that said, a redistricting process is still required by law to be conducted every ten years.
The current configuration of the District’s jurisdictional ward boundaries is long and narrow, stretching from Richmond in the north to Fremont in the south. It is boarded by natural geographic boundaries in the west and east, San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay in the west and hills in the east. In its current state, the District’s ward boundaries meet the criteria of being cohesive, contiguous and compact. In addition, the size and shape of the District, as well as the criteria to keep cities and census-designated places intact, means that the District’s ward boundaries are split in the cities of Berkeley, Oakland, San Leandro and Hayward. Given the relatively small percentage of population change, these divisions will certainly continue. By and large, the population adjustments that will need to occur in Wards 2 and 5 will drive the majority of the changes in the ward boundaries.
In December, the Board will receive an overview of two redistricting plans that will be put before the public for review, comment and suggested changes. In the effort to achieve equal population, the Board should expect to see the following:
• Ward 1/Ward 2 Boundary: Very minor changes in Berkeley
• Ward 2/Ward 3 Boundary: Moderate changes in Oakland
• Ward 3/Ward 4 Boundary: Because Ward 5 will expand further into Hayward, Ward 4 will expand further into Ward 3 in San Leandro
• Ward 4/Ward 5 Boundary: Ward 5 will expand further into Ward 4 in Hayward
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
There are no advantages or disadvantages associated with this report.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
This report is provided for informational purposes only.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
Staff Report 21-029a: Redistricting Project Public Outreach Plan
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 2011 Ward Statistics
2. Ward Statistics Aligned with 2020 Census
Prepared by:
Linda A. Nemeroff, District Secretary
In Collaboration with:
Huaqi Yuan, Planning Data Administrator
Approved/Reviewed by:
Linda A. Nemeroff, District Secretary