English

Comments 32

• CO1
  Relatively equal size - people, not citizens
• CO2
  Contiguous – districts should not hop/jump
• CO3
  Maintain “communities of interest”
• CO4
  Follow city/county/local government lines
• CO5
  Keep districts compact – appearance/function Traditional Redistricting Principles Drawing New Board of Supervisor Lines for Fair Representation There are a number of criteria that have been used nationally and upheld by courts.
• CO6
  Keep districts compact – appearance/function Communities of Interest Bringing like people together for representation Communities of interest are the building blocks of districts. A community of interest includes ethnic and language minorities and other groups.
• CO7
  Open-ended to be as inclusive as possible Examples of Voting Rights Act Communities
• CO8
  African Americans Communities of Interest Bringing like people together for representation Communities of interest are the building blocks of districts. A community of interest includes ethnic and language minorities and other groups.
• CO9
  African Americans While communities of interest may include race, it cannot be the predominant factor in drawing district boundaries. Communities of Interest Bringing like people together for representation
• CO10
  Historical communities • Tourism Areas
• CO11
  Economic interests • School districts
• CO12
  Racial composition • Outdoor recreation areas
• CO13
  Ethnic Areas • Communities defined by natural
• CO14
  Cultural amenities resource features
• CO15
  Religious facilities • Downtown / Urban
• CO16
  Immigrant communities • Rural or Agricultural
• CO17
  Languages spoken • Homeowner or Renters
• CO18
  Geographic features • Creative arts communities
• CO19
  Neighborhoods • Media markets
• CO20
  Economic opportunity zones • Many, many more What is NOT a Community of Interest Preventing a Districting from becoming a Gerrymander The Fair Maps Act explicitly prohibits these groups from being considered as communities of interest
• CO21
  Political party affiliation
• CO22
  Political candidates It also is hard, in redistricting to truly consider:
• CO23
  Groups of similarly minded people who do not share a similar geographic location.
• CO24
  Communities of Interest that are county-wide. Communities of Interest Three Critical Questions in Defining YOUR Community Communities can be best described by answering these three questions:
• CO25
  Does the community have a shared culture, characteristics or bond?
• CO26
  Is the community geographic in nature? Is the community able to be mapped?
• CO27
  What is the community’s relationship with the jurisdiction being redistricted? How it is affected by the policy decisions made by the elected officials? Is this a Community of Interest? A group of renters who live downtown testifies to the Board of Supervisors. Would this be considered a Community of Interest? Is this a Community of Interest? A group of renters who live downtown testifies to the Board of Supervisors. Would this be considered a Community of Interest? YES! This group of residents can easily to be mapped in a distinct area AND they share a common policy interest, which can be addressed through legislation or public services. Is this a Community of Interest? A historically-recognized town dating back to the late 1800s but now has a minimal population is within the lines of a county. Should the County Board of Supervisors prioritize this historical town when drawing their maps? Is this a Community of Interest? A historically-recognized town dating back to the late 1800s but now has a minimal population is within the lines of a county. Should the County Board of Supervisors prioritize this historical town when drawing their maps? YES! Historical communities are recognized as a community of interest and should be considered when drawing maps. Is this a Community of Interest? A group of dog-owners, living in the suburbs banded together to push their local elected officials to put in a dog water fountain in their dog park. Would their Board of Supervisors consider this a community of interest? Is this a Community of Interest? A group of dog-owners, living in the suburbs banned together to push their local elected officials to put in a dog water fountain in their dog park. Would their Board of Supervisors consider this a community of interest? YES! This is a group of people in a shared geographic location who have similar needs for public services. Is this a Community of Interest? A statewide group of people who are fans of the LA Dodgers testifies to the local County Board of Supervisors. Is this a Community of Interest? Is this a Community of Interest? A statewide group of people who are fans of the LA Dodgers testifies to the local County Board of Supervisors. Is this a Community of Interest? NO! It is important that a community of interest is distinct enough to draw on a map. This group overlaps throughout the entire state, and it is unlikely that a governing agency has any say over these issues. Community of Interest Forms Submitting Your COI Form
• CO28
  Input can be provided in public hearings or using our “Community of Interest Worksheet.
• CO29
  This can be provided on the website as a part of overall community engagement strategy.
• CO30
  Some agencies convert these to a webform or survey instrument. Map Submissions Online Map Submissions will be available in the coming month after the County completes development / hosting of the Online Redistricting software Two types of expected input:
• CO31
  Community of Interest Maps (May – End of Process)
• CO32
  District Plans Based on 2020 Data (Release of Data – Final Adoption) Communities of Interest Drawing YOUR Communities of Interest The County of Kern will be using DistrictR as a public mapping tool to allow residents to draw their own Communities of Interest. https://districtr.org/california Communities of Interest Drawing YOUR Communities of Interest There will also be paper maps for the public to use to draw their own community of interest. Kern County Board of Supervisors Timeline for Upcoming Outreach Meetings July 19 Virtual Informational Meeting July 20 Virtual Informational Meeting (Spanish) July 31 Hybrid In-person / Virtual First Public Hearing Kern County Redistricting Website https://www.kerncounty.com/government/2021- redistricting-menu

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