Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of redrawing election district boundaries.
The “one person, one vote” standard arising from the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution requires that election districts for state and local governmental officials (such as City Council members) have approximately equal populations. Therefore, when there is a new federal census indicating population change, political subdivisions must determine whether existing districts still satisfy the equal population requirement. If not, they must redistrict. Read more »
Public Participation
The City of Fort Worth separates the redistricting process into two phases to make it easier for residents to participate:
Phase 1: Determination of the number of City Council districts
The City Council adopted resolution 4044-11-2011 Nov. 15, 2011,opting to keep the current eight-district (plus mayor elected at large) structure. City staff began preparations to redraw district boundries. View the resolution in English or Spanish.
Phase 2: Approval of a single-member City Council district plan
With the number of districts is determined, council is asking residents for district plans. Staff and council members also may present plans. Plans will be reviewed by council and considered at public hearings before council votes to adopt a district plan. View the May 2012 or February 2012 presentations on phase 2 for more information.
A Spanish version of the presentation also is available.
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| February 2012 | City conducts community workshops on redistricting plan preparation. |
| March 31, 2012 | Public input on redistricting plans due to City Secretary’s Office. |
| April 10, 2012 | Staff briefs City Council on plans and comments submitted |
| May 15, 2012 | Staff briefs City Council on draft redistricting plan and on four proposedpublic meetings to receive input |
| Late May 2012 | City Council and staff conduct four public meetings on draft plan. View the schedule » |
| June-July 2012 | City Council conducts public hearings and approves plan. |
| July-October 2012 | Plan is submitted to the Department of Justice; DOJ reviews plan. |
Resources
City of Fort Worth Redistricting Guide
Questions and Answers
A Guide To Redistricting (Produced by MALDEF, NAACP and the Asian-American Justice Center)
Criteria for Single-Member City Council Districts (resolution 3998-06-2011)
English | Spanish
Council District Maps
Population Data