§ 171 Power and duty of Commission to adopt Council District Boundary Map.

(a)        Within six months after census-block-level population data from a regular United States decennial census is made available to the public, the commission shall adopt a final map establishing new council district boundaries and a final report explaining its decision. The final map shall include a precise map and written description of the boundaries of each council district. In the final report, the commission shall explain the rationale for the council district boundaries, including, at a minimum, an explanation of how the final map complies with the redistricting requirements and criteria in Section 175 and a reasonable justification for any council district boundary that does not comply with any redistricting criterion.

(b)        A commission-adopted final map has the force and effect of law. At the first election after adoption of the final map, excluding a special election to fill a vacancy or a recall election, councilmembers shall be elected for each district under the final map that has the same district number as a district whose incumbent’s term is due to expire, unless on the date of adoption there are less than six months until the next primary city election, in which case the final map shall go into effect after that election and any applicable run-off election.

(c)         If the commission does not adopt a final map by the deadline in subsection (a), the city attorney shall immediately petition the superior court for an order prescribing new council district boundaries in accordance with the redistricting criteria and requirements set forth in Section 175. The boundaries prescribed by the superior court shall be used for all city council elections that take place more than six months from the date of the superior court’s order and shall last until a final map is adopted by the commission to replace it.

(d)        The commission shall redraw council district boundaries only once per decade as provided in subsection (a), unless the commission is ordered to do so by a court or if requested by the city clerk to approve an update pursuant to subsection (e).

(e)         Any territory that is annexed, consolidated, or otherwise attached to the city shall be allocated to a council district pursuant to this subsection, effective upon the completion of such annexation, consolidation, or other proceedings. The city clerk shall update the final map accordingly.

(1)     If the territory’s boundary is contiguous to the boundary of not more than one council district, the territory shall be allocated to that council district.

(2)     If the territory’s boundary is contiguous to the boundaries of two or more council districts, the territory shall be allocated to the council district with which it shares the longest boundary.

(3)     If the territory’s boundary is not contiguous with the boundary of any council district, the territory shall be allocated to the closest council district.

(f)         Notwithstanding the time restrictions set forth in subsections (a), (b), and (c) above, for the map based on the 2020 United States decennial census, the commission shall adopt the final map establishing new council districts no later than 130 days before the 2022 primary city election; and any map that is effective before the councilmember candidate nomination period opens may be used for the 2022 elections. (Added by Res. 2016-0258, 7/26/16; amended by Res. 2020-0241, 11/3/20; amended by Res. 2022-0250, 7/26/22)