2021 Local Redistricting Cycle

The 2021 Local Redistricting Cycle for Columbus City Council and Muscogee County School Board was likely impacted by the delays emanating from the 2020 U.S. Census.

Like 2011, this cycle will adjust district lines largely to account for further population shifts to northern Columbus.

Opportunities for those who advocate fairer redistricting in Columbus include advocating for a ban on prison gerrymandering, so that those who were Columbus residents prior to imprisonment are counted for redistricting purposes at their last place of voluntary residence, and those who are incarcerated at Muscogee County Jail or Muscogee State Prison are also counted at their last place of free residence, whether inside or outside of the city. 11 states exercise some form of prohibition on prison gerrymandering.

There is currently no page on the city website explaining the redistricting process nor a form for the public to submit feedback.

Rules and background

Under the charter, a grand jury nominates 4 members per district to the commission, with the mayor and council each tasked to appoint 1 from each district, resulting in 16 regular members of the commission. The Probate Judge of Muscogee County serves as an ex-officio member. No nominee shall be employed by the city or hold elected office.

Under the charter, “Each district shall be formed of contiguous, and to the extent reasonably possible, compact territory, and its boundary lines shall be the center lines of streets or other well-defined boundaries[…]Each district shall contain as nearly as is reasonable the same population.” The maps are also required to comply with the Voting Rights Act of 1965’s prohibition on significantly reducing minority residents’ demographic strength within a district. 2021 is the first map to not be required to be sent to the U.S. Department of Justice for preclearance since the gutting of this requirement in the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court case Shelby v. Holder.

The report which contains the map is then presented to both the city council and school board, with the aim of using the same borders on both maps. However, neither body is legally bound to accept the proposed map, and may redraw their own maps separately, as was done in 2001, resulting in non-matching district between both bodies for the next decade. The 2011 map matched between Council and School Board, despite delays from the School Board.

(Re)Districting Commission Members

  • District 1: Byron Hickey (Council); and Barbara Chambers (Mayor)
  • District 2: U. D. Roberts (Council); and Sue Smith (Mayor)
  • District 3: Rev. Oscar Daise (Council); and Henriette Hood Cain (Mayor)
  • District 4: Wane Hailes (Council); and Jerome Williams (Mayor)
  • District 5: Thomas Bush (Council); and Connie Smith (Mayor)
  • District 6: Rick Boren (Council); and Edwin “Buddy” Cooper (Mayor)
  • District 7: ??? (Council); and Katie Bishop (Mayor)
  • District 8: ??? (Council); and David Rohwedder (Mayor)

Timeline