New City Council Boundaries Take Effect Next Week
Published: 7/5-2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 5, 2023
Contact:
Phil Pitchford
Public Information Officer
951-826-5975
New City Council Boundaries Take Effect Next Week
New boundaries are in effect July 13, will be used in next year’s elections
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – New City Council ward boundaries approved through the Reshape Riverside process last month take effect on July 13 and will be used for council elections next year. The final approved map can be found here.
The 5-2 decision on June 13 ended the 10-month Reshape Riverside process that included numerous community meetings and extensive public input. Councilmembers Clarissa Cervantes and Chuck Conder voted no, saying they preferred different maps.
Once effective on July 13, the new map will determine the boundaries for City Council elections in wards 1,3, 5 and 7 in March and November of 2024. The new boundaries for wards 2, 4 and 6 will take effect during the elections in 2026.
“These new ward boundaries reflect hours of community input, staff analysis and council debate,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said. “Public participation was important, and we thank the community for its efforts.”
Residents who live within the ward boundaries that were in place before redistricting will remain represented by the Council member who represented that geographical area until the next election is held in that ward.
More than a dozen potential maps were originally proposed by individuals, community groups, and the city’s consultant, Redistricting Partners.
The Council had approved maps in March but discussed the issue further after Cervantes and Conder said they were concerned about how the map that eventually was approved would affect neighborhoods they have represented on the council.
The final map was chosen because the City Council thought it was the best option for complying with the Fair Maps Act and reflecting Communities of Interest testimony that was received during the Reshape Riverside process.
In the approved map, 16 neighborhoods are kept together, and 11 are split. The map creates four majority-minority wards in wards 1, 5, 6 and 7.
The City now will determine a process for informing residents and voters how the new map will impact them and any potential changes in their voting schedule.
“With the redistricting process now concluded, it is imperative that we take steps to inform the public on how these changes will affect them,” Mayor Pro Tem Erin Edwards said.
More information can be found at reshaperiverside.com.
