Title
An Ordinance to Amend Sections 1:451 to 1:455 of Chapter 17, Reapportionment of Wards, of Title I of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor (ORD-21-33)
Memorandum
The attached ordinance proposes amendments recommended by City staff to reapportion the City's five wards based on the population numbers released in late September from the United States Census for 2020. The target population number based on the new Census data was 24,936 persons per ward. The attached ordinance amendment reduces the size of the First and Second Ward and increases the other three wards, coming within 1.5% plus or minus of the target. The proposed changes were prepared by the City Clerk, with support from staff in IT.
The proposed boundary changes focus on the downtown area in order to follow the guidelines set forth in the City Charter for the creation of the ward boundaries, specifically that the wards are each a pie-shaped segment coming out of the center of the city. The changes also meet the requirements of the Charter and State law that the boundaries be compact and contiguous and that the population in each ward is nearly equal based on the Census.
The proposed changes were made with the goal of minimizing impacts; however, all five wards have some modifications, with Wards Four and Five moving more into the downtown area.
The recommended effective date of these changes is December 1, 2021, following the City's Special Election on November 2. Once approved, final adjustments to the precinct boundary lines within each ward will be made by the City Election Commission and voters will be notified of their new ward and polling place in advance of the 2022 election cycle. The proposed maps were presented to and recommended for approval by the City Election Commission and the Council Administration Committee on Tuesday, October 12, 2021.
Staff
Prepared by: Jacqueline Beaudry, City Clerk
Reviewed by: Matt Thomas, Assistant City Attorney
Reviewed by: John Fournier, Assistant City...
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