The City of Rosenberg has begun the process to redraw the City Council Single-Member District boundaries following the results of 2020 Census.
Redistricting is the process of changing single-member district boundaries based on data received from the U.S. Census Bureau. Rosenberg’s new population for 2020 is estimated at 38,140 which is an increase of 24.6% causing the need for the district boundaries to be remapped.
Rosenberg City Council is comprised of one Mayor and six Council Members; four of which are elected by a single-member district and two are elected at-large. District 1 currently has 7,674 residents; District 2 has 9,681; District 3 has 7,768; and District 4 has 13,017. The goal of redistricting would be to evenly split the City to an average district size of approximately 9,535 with a maximum deviation of ten percent.
The City has secured the services of the Bojorquez Law Firm and on Sept. 7, 2021 formed an Election Redistricting Plan Committee to assist in the process. Citizens appointed to the committee were: Cynthia McConathy, Rose Pickens, Allen Scopel, Rose Lopez and Manuela Arroyos. The committee held its first meeting Oct. 4, 2021.
As part of the process, City Council is accepting suggested redistricting plans from the public until November 12, 2021. Citizen suggested redistricting maps may be submitted to the City by members of the public, special interest groups, political subdivisions or individual members of City Council. Citizens maps must be in writing. Any Citizen Maps submitted must show the total population and voting age population for Black or African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Anglo and any other race identified by the census for each proposed City Council district. Citizen Maps must redistrict the entire City. The Committee will consider the effect of any plan on the entire City as part of the process to make a recommendation to City Council. Rosenberg City Council is subject to the Voting Rights Act, which protects various racial and language minorities. Thus, as a matter of federal law, it will be required to consider the effect of any proposal on multiple racial and ethnic groups. If a Citizen Map does not redistrict the entire City, it may be impossible for the Committee or City Council to assess its impact on one or more protected minority groups making it difficult to gauge compliance with One Person/One Vote. Citizen Maps must conform to the criteria the Committee and City Council will be using in drawing the City Council single-member districts. Citizen Maps must be accompanied by a transmittal report identifying any criteria used other than that specified on Resolution No. R-3168 adopted by the City Council on October 19, 2021. It is crucial that the foundation for decisions reflected in a proposed plan be carefully documented.
Upcoming important redistricting dates are as follows:
- Citizen Maps Must Be Submitted by: November 12, 2021
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First Public Hearing: December 7 or 14, 2021 *date to be confirmed
- Second Public Hearing: January 4, 2022
- Latest Date to Adopt Maps: January 18, 2022
- First Day to File for Place on Ballot: January 19, 2022
- Last Day to File for Place on Ballot: February 18, 2022
For more information on the redistricting process, please visit the redistricting website at rosenbergtx.gov/redistricting or call Citizens Relations at 832-595-3301.
