Section 3-109 Powers and Duties of the Independent District Commission.

City Charter Section

The Commission prepares and adopts a districting plan for dividing the City into four (4) districts for the election of City Councilors. The plan includes a map and a description of districts. 

The vote of at least nine (9) members of the Commission is required to adopt the districting plan. A majority vote of the Commission is required for all other actions. 

The Commission holds at least one (1) public hearing before it develops the districting plan to seek public comment on whether any plan criteria, in addition to the criteria set forth in Section 3-110, will be considered. 

The Commission holds at least two (2) public hearings in each proposed district not less than one (1) month before it votes to adopt the plan. The Commission makes its plan available to the public for inspection and comment not less than one (1) month before the public hearings in each proposed district. The first Commission adopts its plan by September 1, 2023. Thereafter, the Commission adopts its plan by September 1 in every year ending in “1.” If the Commission adopts a plan, no further action by Council is required and the plan is final. If the Commission has not adopted a plan after taking two votes, the most recent version of the plan voted on by the Commission passes to the City Council for its consideration and adoption. The plan is effective when the Commission or the City Council files it with the City Elections Officer. 

No change in the boundary of a district caused by annexation to the City or withdrawal of an area from the City may terminate the office of any Councilor. Upon an annexation or withdrawal, the Mayor may, but need not, initiate the creation of an Independent District Commission to redraw district boundaries. Upon an annexation with no adjustment to a district boundary, the annexed area becomes part of that existing district with which it is most contiguous. [Section added November 8, 2022, effective December 14, 2022.]

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