Press Release: D.C. Council Redistricting Committee to Release Draft Maps

News Release — At-large DC Council member Elissa Silverman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Sam Rosen-Amy

Three “Discussion” Maps Allow Input on Key Decisions to Rebalance Wards

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 29, 2021 – On Monday, November 1, at 10:30 a.m., the D.C. Council’s Subcommittee on Redistricting will release for public discussion three draft maps proposing new ward boundaries. Councilmember Elissa Silverman (I-At-Large), who chairs the subcommittee on redistricting, will join Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) at his legislative press briefing to explain the decision-making behind the maps, how the public can access the maps, and how the public can provide feedback to the subcommittee.

Of the three “discussion” maps, two were selected from among the more than 130 proposals received so far by the subcommittee through the District’s online redistricting mapping tool. The maps will be available for viewing starting at 10:30 a.m. Monday at elissasilverman.com/redistricting as well as on the District’s redistricting mapping tool, dcredistricting.esriemcs.com. Additionally, today the subcommittee has posted every map submitted by the public with the mapping tool at elissasilverman.com/redistricting.

The three “discussion” maps contain various choices the Council could make in meeting the constitutional requirement of equal representation. Often known as the one person, one vote rule, the law mandates that the District’s eight wards need to have approximately equal population. Currently three of D.C.’s wards are outside the acceptable population range and must change boundaries, but it is likely other wards will have boundary adjustments as well.

Next week, the Subcommittee on Redistricting will hold two public roundtables: A Ward 6-focused hearing, the last of eight ward-specific hearings, on November 3 at 10 a.m. and a final citywide focused hearing on November 5 at noon. More information about the hearings, including how to sign-up to testify, can be found at elissasilverman.com/redistricting.  The subcommittee strongly encourages residents to respond to the “discussion” maps in their testimony at the hearings. Residents can also use the new mapping tool to submit proposed maps as part of their testimony before the Council.

“I’ve committed to making this process transparent, accessible, and open to input,” said Silverman. “Our unprecedented 11 hearings on redistricting, the online redistricting mapping tool, and the release of these three “discussion” maps are designed to give our residents as many opportunities as possible to understand the law, the choices we need to make to make sure political representation is equal and fair, and express their ideas and opinions.”

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