Reprecincting and Redistricting

Reprecincting and Redistricting

December 2011

Michelle Brzycki 317-233-5247Lori Clark 317-232-3938Leslie Barnes 317-232-3942Dale Simmons 317-232-3929

Annexations and BAS Survey

The clerk of the city/town must file annexations with the following: Circuit court clerk County auditor Board if registration, if applicable Secretary of State (IED) Office of Census Data

IC 36-4-3-22

Boundary and Annexation Survey 2012

All political subdivisions can participate Paperwork will go to mayor or highest

elected official who will distribute to GIS offices

Census Bureau will put the boundaries on the map but not recalculate population to 2010 figures

Timeline for survey

December 2011/January 2012 Packages mailed to participants

February 15, 2012 Participants must notify Census Bureau

March 1, 2012 Deadline for annexations to be included in

upcoming programs and American Community Survey

May 31, 2012 Deadline for annexations to be in 2013 BAS Survey

Contact Information

on BAS

Census Bureau (800) 972-5651 [email protected]

Redrawing Precinct Boundaries 2012 and

beyond

Need more precinct changes after 2011? Return to traditional method

County commissioners sign order IED and OCD provide review and comment IED approves

County publishes notice/10 day objection period

Plan becomes effective if no objection; OR Indiana Election Commission approves

County might NOT need precinct changes

Please keep the following in mind:

Annexations

Precincts do NOT have to follow city boundaries Annexations do not mean the precinct

boundary changes automatically with the new city line. A designation in SVRS can tell you who are

your city or town voters. Called “Precinct Splits”

The next big round of city and town elections is not until 2015 so your county may want to hold off on all precinct changes due to annexations until 2014 (as opposed to doing a change after each annexation or each year).

Active Voters The March build of SVRS should have a report for

the number of active voters for precinct purposes!

Generally, precincts must have no more than 1,200 active voters BUT a precinct has 4 years to grow after it was established as long as it remains under 1,400 active voters.

There are exceptions: state college precincts, entire townships, one structure, among others. Check with IED staff or your county attorney to

see if a certain precinct can be over 1,200.

Timeline for Precinct Changes

Precincts “locked”-- from the first day of candidate filing until Election Day in November

A county can be working on potential changes, but the order cannot become effective until precincts open up.

Precincts Open– November 7, 2012 through the start of candidate filing in January of 2014 (There are no general elections in 2013)

If you are interested in precinct changes for the future, contact the Election Division to discuss the resources available and what will be needed for your county’s submission.

Michelle Brzycki 317-233-5247 Lori Clark 317-232-3938

Switching Gears

Reprecinctingvs.

Redistricting

Redistricting in 2012

Who Establishes Election Districts?

Congressional & state legislative districts-established in 2011 by General Assembly

County commissioner and county council districts-- established in 2011

Cities and towns must establish their own election districts in 2012

School districts might be redistricting at some point depending upon how they are organized


Municipal Redistricting

WHO?- City or Town Council

HOW?- Ordinance which must be filed with Circuit Court Clerk within 30 days of Enactment

NOTE: Small Towns (< 3,500) may abolish districts (IC 36-5-2-4.1(h))


Statutory Basis

City councils establish new districts for second and third class cities (IC 36-4-6-3, IC 36-4-6-4, and IC 36-4-6-5)

Town councils establish new town council districts (IC 36-5-2-4.1)

School boards may establish new school board districts (IC 20-23-8-8 most common)


Redistricting statutes generally direct that legislative body districts:

• Be contiguous

• Be reasonably compact

• Contain, as near as possible, equal population

• Follow precinct boundaries


Exceptions to following precinct lines when establishing new municipal districts:

In Cities where two incumbents are currently in the same precinct (IC 36-4-6-3I(c); IC 36-4-6-4(c))

In Cities and Towns where it’s necessary to equalize population (IC 36-4-6-3I(d); IC 36-4-6-4(d); IC 36-5-2-4.1(C)(2))

In Towns where the council is elected at large and have residence districts only (IC 36-5-2-4.1(c)(1)


Obtaining Population Data

Directly from the census at the following link:www.census.gov/rdo/data/ Click on “2010 Redistricting Data Summary Files”

State Library Data Center- Contact: Kelly Springer [email protected]; Ph. 317-232-3732

STATS (state agency website in cooperation with IU Kelley School of Business): www.stats.indiana.edu

Redistricting and Reprecincting

How Municipal Redistricting Affects You

It may change the way you conduct you next municipal election

If a municipal district boundary crosses a precinct boundary you are not required to conform a precinct to the municipal district boundary but you may do so

Voter registration records MUST be updated to reflect any change in a voter’s election districts


How Municipal Redistricting Affects You

A municipality may not change a precinct even if they draw a map that says so- They do not have the power

New municipal boundaries do not “automatically” change your precinct even if you call them “municipal precincts”

Only the county commissioners may legally initiate a change in the county’s precincts through the normal IED or IEC process


District Descriptions in Ordinances

Previously adopted ordinance establishing districts remains in effect for the purpose of filling a vacancy in office until the expiration of the term of that office

A reference in the ordinance to an existing boundary (a precinct, for example) refers to the precinct as it existed on the date of adoption of the ordinance. A change in the precinct boundary after adoption of the ordinance does not alter the boundaries of the election districts established by the ordinance (IC 36-1-6-10)


Related Topic: Municipal Annexation A city or town may annex unincorporated

territory at any time by adopting an ordinance

In general, an annexation is final 90 days after legal publication of the ordinance, if no court challenge (remonstrance) is filed √If remonstrance is filed, the court will

determine if and when annexation is final (IC 36-4-3-11)

Annexation ordinances must be filed with the circuit court clerk and board of registration (IC 36-4-3-22)


Municipal Annexation

Annexation ordinance must assign annexed area to council district in a city or town (if any)

Voters in annexed area are eligible to vote in city or town elections once the annexation is final (IC 3-11-1.5-33)

However, an annexation by a city or town does not “automatically” change any of your precinctsRemember- Only county commissioners

and IED or IEC can change precinct boundaries


Impact of Municipal Annexation on Elections

Your county may consider changing precincts in response to an annexation to help with administering elections for annexed city or town but county is not legally required to change precincts

Either way, an annexation will change the way a county administers the election for the city or town because the annexed voters are entitled to a city or town ballot


Annexation

Covington Precinct 6


Impact of Municipal Annexation on Elections

The registration record of annexed voters must be amended in SVRS when annexation is final to show that the voter is entitled to a city or town ballot

If this impacts 2012 election consider:Changing precinct (if open period); ORAdministering as a “split-precinct” with

pollbook that identifies city or town voters

Reprecincting and Redistricting

Documents

Transcript of Reprecincting and Redistricting