The process for re-drawing boundary lines for each of the five supervisorial districts in Sacramento County has begun.
What is Redistricting?
Every ten years, following the Census count, the resulting census data is used to geographically define electoral districts, at all levels of government, through a process called redistricting. Redistricting ensures that each of the electoral district boundaries have about the same number of people and comply with the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Redistricting will look different this year than in years past. This year, the County will comply with the Fair Maps Act, which revised the criteria and process used by counties and cities when they adjust electoral district boundaries. The Fair Maps Act intends to maximize public participation and increase transparency in the redistricting process by requiring substantial public hearing and outreach requirements for adjusting district boundaries.
To that end, Sacramento County’s Redistricting 2021 webpage is live and will be a vital resource for County residents to learn more about redistricting, the importance of public participation in redistricting and how to participate in the process.
The website also includes current district and other important Sacramento County maps for reference, as well as past and future meetings/hearings, FAQs, and an explanation of the Sacramento County Redistricting Process (with printouts of the process available in ten languages).
Why is Redistricting important, and how can I participate?
Redistricting is important because it determines which neighborhoods and communities will be grouped together for the purposes of electing a Board member. Residents have the opportunity to provide input on what kind of boundaries should be drawn to best represent their community. Redistricting is based on the idea of “one person, one vote” which makes sure all people can be represented fairly, and how district lines are drawn influences who is elected.
Sacramento County residents are encouraged to participate in the redistricting process. Residents can sign up for Redistricting news stories, information and upcoming meetings via email or text. People can also view past and upcoming meetings at the Redistricting Meetings webpage and are encouraged to check in for additional upcoming workshops and hearings.
What’s next?
The Board of Supervisors will work directly with County staff and redistricting consultants to engage the public through workshops, hearings, community meetings, mapping tools and public outreach to complete the redistricting requirements and adopt new boundaries.
Sacramento County will schedule public workshops in all five supervisorial districts, virtual workshops, and Board of Supervisors presentations about redistricting, the process, mapping tools and other information beginning in June and running through the rest of the year.
The County will receive 2020 Census data from the state as early as September 30, 2021. The original plan was to deliver the data to states on or before March 31, 2021; however, COVID-19 significantly impacted Census operations which caused the nearly six-month delay in data delivery.
The County must adopt final maps no later than December 15, 2021, which means the County will have approximately six weeks to complete its redistricting work—a very compressed timeframe.
Timeline for Redistricting WorkMay-September 2021:
Hold public hearings and community workshops about the Redistricting, the process, mapping tools tutorials and other redistricting information.
October-November 2021: Draft map preparation and review
November-December 2021: Map adoption.
Nov. 17: First reading of County ordinance adopting final district maps.
Dec. 7: Second reading of County ordinance adopting final district maps.
