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Page last updated on January 8, 2024 at 12:00 pm

Recommendation and Report from Commission to Common Council

On September 7, 2022, the Commission unanimously approved of a map proposal contained in its Report and Recommendation of the 2022 Citizens' Redistricting Advisory Commission. On October 6, 2022, the Common Council voted to adopt the Commission's recommendation - 2024 Election District Map.

 

Overview of Commission

Every decade, two years after the US Census, Indiana Code requires the Common Council to redraw its districts. The Citizens' Redistricting Advisory Commission (CRAC) is an independent, politically balanced body whose purpose is to recommend the new boundaries that divide the city into six council districts. 

Residents of the City of Bloomington make up the five-member commission. The Commission is divided by political affiliation; two democrats, two republicans and one independent. PLEASE NOTE: Two members of the Commission are full-time students at Indiana University - Bloomington, one democrat & one republican. See full list of qualifying criteria at the bottom of this page. 

 

Redistricting Process

Federal Requirements

Districts should comply with both U.S. constitutional and federal law. Districts should contain, as nearly as possible, equal populations and should not violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which, among other things, prohibits voting practices that discriminate on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group.

State Requirements 

The state of Indiana requires that Bloomington be divided into six voting districts. Districts should be contiguous (except for territory not contiguous to any other part of the city) and reasonably compact. Except for limited circumstances, districts should not cross precinct boundary lines. Districts should contain, as nearly as is possible, equal population.

Statutory Authority: IC 36-4-6-3 

Bloomington Requirements 

The Commission is tasked with recommending council districts that comply with federal and state laws. Whenever possible, the Commission should avoid recommending districts that divide communities of interest including, but not limited to, political subdivisions, neighborhoods, school districts and historic districts. Where it does not negatively impact all other criteria, districts should be drawn to promote political competition.

Once its work is complete, the Commission will issue its recommended map to the Common Council with descriptions of council districts and a report that explains how the recommended districts comply with federal, state and local requirements. Approval of recommended council districts, including a map and accompanying report, by the Commission requires an affirmative vote from at least two-thirds of serving commissioners.

Statutory Authority: Bloomington Municipal Code 2.12.130

 

Resources and Reference Materials

Districtr - District Map Creation Tool 

 

Downloadable and Printable Maps/Data 

 

 

2022 Redistricting

 

2022 redistricting map submissions to the Commission are now closed.

 

Public Submissions

Letter to Commission

Map 1: Withdrawn

Map 2: https://districtr.org/plan/131567

Map 3: https://districtr.org/plan/134902

Map 4: https://districtr.org/plan/134906

Maps 5-8: Withdrawn

Map 12: https://districtr.org/plan/138834 

 

Commissioner Submissions

Map 9: https://districtr.org/plan/137333

Map 10: https://districtr.org/plan/137342

Map 11: https://districtr.org/plan/139342 

 

Maps produced by staff at request of Commissioners:

Map 13: https://districtr.org/plan/139430

Map 14: https://districtr.org/plan/139443

Map 15: https://districtr.org/plan/139469

 

Maps produced by Councilmember Volan:

Map 16: https://districtr.org/plan/140911 (disqualified for > 10% deviation)

Map 17a: https://districtr.org/plan/140916

Map 17b: https://districtr.org/plan/140915

Map 18: https://districtr.org/plan/140910

Demonstration Map 1: https://districtr.org/plan/141717 (disqualified for > 10% deviation)

 

Compactness Scores of Current Council Districts

District 1 - .067

District 2 - .127

District 3 - .278

District 4 - .208

District 5 - .275

District 6 - .272

 

Explanation of compactness score calculation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polsby%E2%80%93Popper_test 

 

Meeting Recordings from 2022 Redistricting

 

 

 

 

 

Selection Criteria for membership on Commission

Members:

- Must reside in the City of Bloomington;

- Must be available to attend meetings in person after appointment to the Commission and until the Commission has completed its report and recommendation (exact meeting frequency, dates, and times will be determined by the Commission once members are appointed);

- Must not be a current public office holder;

- Must not be an employee for an elected official;

- Must not work for the City of Bloomington;

- Must not have contributed a cumulative total of $2,000 or more to any political candidate(s) within five years or be registered with the Indiana Lobby Registration commission; and

- Must not be immediate family members of any excluded person.

The commission will meet at least every other month and members will serve without compensation. Because of the time-limited nature of its purpose, the term of the Commissioners is limited to two years from the date of its formation, following a federal decennial Census. 

 

Contact Information:

Staff Liaison - Stephen Lucas - Council Administrator/Attorney

(812) 349-3409 | lucass@bloomington.in.gov

 

Members

Vacant

Appointed By:
Common Council
Term Expires
2024-12-31
Vacancy:Apply

Vacant

Appointed By:
Common Council
Term Expires
2024-12-31
Vacancy:Apply

Vacant

Appointed By:
Common Council
Term Expires
2024-12-31
Vacancy:Apply

Vacant

Appointed By:
Common Council
Term Expires
2024-12-31
Vacancy:Apply

Vacant

Appointed By:
Common Council
Term Expires
2024-12-31
Vacancy:Apply