cityofboston.gov - Official Web Site of the City of Boston - Thomas M. Menino, Mayor

Committee Chair:

Councillor Linehan

Committee Vice Chair: 

Councillor Baker

Committee Members:

Councillors Arroyo, Connolly, LaMattina, Pressley, Yancey

Committee Liaison:

Ann Braga, (617) 635-3625

Committee E-mail:

ccc.census@cityofboston.gov

Committee Description:

Shall concern itself with issues relevant to the census, the resulting impact on city, state and federal redistricting of Boston, and voter participation. The committee shall review the results of the federal census figures and the impact they will have on Boston’s revenues and redistricting, and shall also exercise oversight with respect to efforts to increase the level of voter participation in municipal, state and federal elections.  THe committee shall concern itself with the redistricting for the city council districts. 

Redistricting Information

Redistricting Committee Continuing Work - Public Hearing 12/9

The Council's Committee on Census and Redistricting, chaired by Councilor Bill Linehan, has been gathering public comments on community priorities since July.  The Committee held six information gathering hearings throughout the City and has recently begun a series of Committee meetings to discuss options among Committee members and other Councilors.  At the December 7 Council Meeting, Councilor Linehan introduced a plan as an item on the agenda.  Prior to that, all proposals and discussions have been informal and presented potential concepts.  The plan is not the final submission for a vote but a point for formal discussion, debate, and amendment.

Legal Requirements of Redistricting: the populations must be within a margin of five percent of the mean (68,621), resulting in a range of 65,190 to 72,052; the districts must be contiguous; and the smallest unit of movement is a precinct.

Priorities Identified during Information Gathering Sessions: communities of interest; neighborhood boundaries; proportional representation of people of color; keeping wards together where possible; retaining their current city councilor; and the creation of a fifth non-white majority district.

Influences: Higher rate of growth in the northern part of the city vs. southern part; and Growth in the Hispanic/Latino and Asian populations.