Redistricting Effort Gets Underway

Redistricting Effort Gets Underway – High Desert Daily

The commission will meet in Barstow on August 19, 2021.

It’s time to map the future of San Bernardino County, and there are many opportunities for the public to participate.

Every 10 years, the county uses the newest U.S. Census data to redraw the boundaries of each of the five Board of Supervisors districts to ensure each has essentially has the same number of residents, preserves communities of interest such as cities as much as possible, and complies with the Voting Rights Act.

The County’s redistricting website offers a wealth of information on the process and schedule as well as contact information and a tool that allows anyone to create and submit their own map of the county’s new supervisorial districts.

This year, in response to a provision in the new voter-approved County Charter, the Board of Supervisors has appointed a seven-member Advisory Redistricting Commission to receive public testimony and recommend at least two possible sets of new district boundaries for adoption.

“Democracy works best when everyone’s voices are heard,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “That’s why we have created many opportunities for everyone in our county to participate in this process.”

The commission has held two public meetings and will hold at least 16 more, many of them in communities throughout the county, including the next meeting on Thursday, Aug. 12, at 10 a.m. in the Town of Apple Valley Council Chambers. The commission will meet in Barstow on Aug. 19 and in Montclair on Aug. 26. Information on upcoming meeting can be found on the redistricting website’s calendar page. All meetings can be viewed live on the County’s redistricting website and video recordings of past meetings can be viewed on the redistricting website’s past meetings page.

Sign up for email updates on county redistricting and receive notices about upcoming meetings and other opportunities to participate.