San Bernardino County’s 2021 supervisorial redistricting effort is underway with the launch of an interactive website and the scheduling of the County Redistricting Commission’s first meeting.
“The Board of Supervisors is looking forward to utilizing the latest technology and in-person meetings throughout the county to involve every county resident and each of our communities in the 2021 redistricting process,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman.
Every 10 years, upon the release of new U.S. Census data, the county is required to redraw the boundaries of the five Board of Supervisors districts to ensure each has very close to the same number of residents and that the new districts comply with the Voting Rights Act and meet other criteria. The process will begin in earnest when detailed U.S. Census data is released by the federal government in the fall.
Today the County launched a website, sbcountyredistricting.com, that contains information about the redistricting process, alerts visitors to upcoming meetings, allows them to view live and archived meetings, submit questions and other feedback, and read the latest news on redistricting.
The site also allows visitors to become familiar and experiment with a map-drawing tool that will allow anyone to create and submit their own redistricting plans incorporating the latest data on population, demographics, and city boundaries. The data on which the 2021 redistricting will be based won’t be available until the federal government releases it in the fall.
“Our goal is to make the redistricting process transparent and to provide many opportunities for public input. The new website is a great way for the public to stay up to date on the redistricting process and to have their voices heard,” said Second District Supervisor Janice Rutherford, who with Chairman Hagman comprises the Board of Supervisors Redistricting Subcommittee.
The redistricting website also includes information about the County’s new Advisory Redistricting Commission.
In compliance with a new County Charter approved by voters in November, the board in March created a seven-member Advisory Redistricting Commission to receive comments and suggestions from the public and recommend at least two supervisorial district boundary maps for consideration by the board.
In April, each board member appointed one commissioner and one alternate commissioner, who will join two members appointed by the presiding judge of the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino, to sit as the commission.
The commission will be sworn in and conduct its first meeting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 11, in the Covington Chambers on the first floor of the County Government Center in San Bernardino. The public can view live and archived meetings on the County’s redistricting website. The commission will conduct many of its future meetings at various locations throughout the county.