December 2021 – Every four years, as required by state law and the City of Tampa’s Charter, the Planning Commission evaluates the City of Tampa’s individual council district boundaries. There are seven council districts in Tampa. Council Districts 1, 2, and 3 are at-large districts (i.e., citywide). Meaning, these council members are elected by all the voters in Tampa. Council Districts 4, 5, 6, and 7 are individual districts. These districts have defined boundaries. Council members for these individual districts are elected by the voters inside those council district boundaries.
So, what does this have to do with the Census 2020? Well, the Planning Commission is required by ordinance to use the “latest published official census figures” to estimate the current population of each council district. In this instance, Planning Commission staff used Census 2020 numbers to derive these population estimates. As we stated in a previous article, for the period 2010-2020, one in four new county residents moved to the City of Tampa. Thus, it is not surprising that the populations of the four individual districts have shifted since the last redistricting process (2017/18). The current range is 5.6% (see map).
Ideally, this range should be less than 5%. To accomplish this, four alternatives are being considered to move some voting precincts from higher population districts to lower population districts. Each of the proposed alternatives has a range less than 5%. The Planning Commission is required to take action on Tampa City Council Redistricting no later than June 10, 2022. The next municipal elections are slated for March 7, 2023.
Already, staff has been soliciting feedback from stakeholders and will host in-person and virtual Open Houses in January and February to discuss each option with the public and to receive your comments. Drop in any time during the scheduled times and Open House locations as follows:
Thursday | 01.20.22 | 5pm – 8pm | Forest Hills Elementary School in the Media Center | 10112 N Ola Ave | Tampa 33612
Saturday | 01.22.22 | 9am – 11am | Virtual Open House | Zoom: Meeting Registration – Zoom
Monday | 01.24.22 | 5pm – 8pm | C Blythe Andrews, Jr Public Library in Community Room A | 2607 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd | Tampa 33610
Saturday | 01.29.22 | 9am – 11am | Virtual Open House | Zoom: Meeting Registration – Zoom
Monday | 01.31.22 | 5pm – 8pm | Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library in the Conference Room | 3910 S Manhattan Ave | Tampa 33611
Tuesday | 02.08.22 | 5pm – 8pm | Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library in the Conference Room | 3910 S Manhattan Ave | Tampa 33611
To learn more about the process and proposed alternatives or to send us feedback, please:
- Visit our website for more information or to view Open House materials for discussion: org/redistricting
- Invite Planning Commission staff to speak about the process to your organization or group
- Participate in an upcoming in-person or virtual Open House in January and February
- Participate in the two public hearings to be hosted by the Planning Commission in Spring 2022
- Share this information with your neighbors, co-workers, family, and friends to help us spread the word!
- Kindly send us your questions, comments, or speaking invitations to Yassert Gonzalez at: 813.582.7356 or gonzalezy@plancom.org
