The city’s redistricting commission will vote Thursday afternoon on a preliminary map that changes the way San Diego’s council districts are carved out, borrowing from several to add a new, 9th council district. The map was months in the making with the commission considering numerous options.
Commission Chief of Staff Midori Wong said the changes are big.
“The addition of a 9th district means every district needs to shrink and change in order to provide balanced access for each of the people who live in the city,” she said. “So really everything looks a little bit different.”
Several minority groups have lobbied hard to make sure they’re recognized in the process. Wong said there’s a lot to consider.
"Per the (City) Charter and the federal Voting Rights Act, race is a consideration that the commission has to take into account,” she said. “However, districts cannot be formed solely on the basis of race.”
The new map will now be scrutinized in a series of five public hearings, which take place between July 26 and August 3. Two of the hearings will be simulcast in Spanish.
Wong said a final map should be complete in late August.
