Redistricting

Notice of Public Hearing for August 31st

Remaining Lake County Redistricting Hearings

What is Redistricting?

Every ten years, districts must be redrawn so that each district is substantially equal in population. This process, called redistricting, is important in ensuring each board member represents about the same number of constituents. In Lake County, the Board of Supervisors is responsible for drawing Supervisorial Districts. Redistricting is done using U.S. Census data, which is typically released around March 31, 2021. For the County of Lake, the Redistricting process must be completed by December 15, 2021.

Why does Redistricting matter to me?

Redistricting determines which neighborhoods and communities are grouped together into a District for purposes of electing a Board Member. The Board of Supervisors will seek YOUR input in selecting the next district map for our Supervisorial Districts. You have an opportunity to share with the Board of Supervisors how you think District boundaries should be drawn to best represent your community. You can contact County staff at [email protected] to find out more about how the process works.

What do our existing Supervisorial Districts look like?

You can find a map of the County’s current Supervisorial Districts here

What criteria will our Board of Supervisors use when drawing District lines?

To the extent possible, District lines will be adopted using the following criteria:

• Geographically contiguous districts (each supervisorial district should share a common border with the next);
• The geographic integrity of local neighborhoods or communities shall be respected in a manner that minimizes its division;
• Geographic integrity of a city shall be respected in a manner that minimizes its division;
• Easily identifiable boundaries that follow natural or artificial barriers (rivers, streets, highways, rail lines, etc.); and
• Lines shall be drawn to encourage geographic compactness.

Boundaries WILL NOT be drawn for purposes of favoring or discriminating against a political party.

How will our Board of Supervisors notify the public about redistricting?

The Board of Supervisors will reach out to local media (LakeCoNews and the Record-Bee) to publicize the Redistricting process. We will also make a good faith effort to notify community groups of various kinds about the Redistricting process.

Public Hearings will be provided in applicable languages if residents submit a request in advance, at [email protected].

The Board of Supervisors will notify the public about Redistricting Public Hearings, post maps online before adoption, and maintain this dedicated web page for all relevant information about the Redistricting process.

How can I get involved?

The Board of Supervisors will be holding Public Hearings at the Lake County Courthouse (255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, in the Board Chambers) to receive Public Input on where District lines should be drawn.

In-person participation will be facilitated to the maximum extent practical, considering COVID-19 precautions, and electronic participation will be available via Zoom (accessible by landline or mobile phone and/or any internet-connective device).

Just want to listen? You can, on Lake County PEG TV, Facebook, and YouTube!

What is the final statutory deadline for the Redistricting process to be completed?
December 15, 2021.  The County of Lake intends to culminate our process November 30, with adoption of the final map.

The Lake County Board of Supervisors is seeking your input on Lake County’s Communities of Interest. Some of our Supervisorial Districts have seen significant changes in population since Census 2010, and those changes in population will make it necessary to adjust the boundaries of Lake County’s Districts, in the interest of ensuring each resident is equally represented by their local government.

What is a Community of Interest?

Section 2(d)(4) of Article XXI of the California Constitution:

“A community of interest is a contiguous population which shares common social and economic interests that should be included within a single district for purposes of its effective and fair representation. Examples of such shared interests are those common to an urban area, a rural area, an industrial area, or an agricultural area, and those common to areas in which the people share similar living standards, use the same transportation facilities, have similar work opportunities, or have access to the same media of communication relevant to the election process. Communities of interest shall not include relationships with political parties, incumbents, or political candidates.”

How are Communities of Interest used in the Redistricting Process?

Where Supervisorial District boundaries must be adjusted due to population changes, an effort is made to ensure designated Communities of Interest remain within a single Supervisorial District, where possible, to allow for the most effective representation.

Examples of Communities of Interest

Communities of Interest are perhaps best understood by way of examples. “Little Saigon” in Sacramento was offered during Redistricting Hearing #2 as an illustration. That example was sourced in a City of Sacramento resource.

Lake County Examples

The following examples of Lake County Communities of Interest were also offered by the Consultant (drawn from discussion with County staff):

• Tribal lands
• Buckingham
• Lake County communities known as “The Rivieras”
• Certain apartment complexes with similar characteristics (like low income or senior housing) in the same District

Some possible Communities of Interest were raised by Supervisors and others during the Saturday, October 2 Hearing:

• Unincorporated communities served by “Municipal Advisory Councils” – it was noted Cobb Area Council, a very active MAC, currently spans two County Supervisorial Districts
• Clearlake City Limits (i.e., keeping as much of the City of Clearlake together, as possible)
• Chapman Track (Planning Area 4, City of Clearlake – East of State Hwy 53 and South of Hayes Ave)
• “The Avenues” in Clearlake
• Areas North of Old 53 and North of Burns Valley Road (N section of Clearlake with more Ranchette housing, 1.25-acre parcels)
• “The Park” (area of City of Clearlake North of Country Club and North of Arrowhead)
• Clearlake’s “Center of ‘town’” area
• Northern Clearlake – e.g., “Windflower Point,” Northern section where Sulphur Fire occurred
• In this discussion, Cache Creek was also a natural line to divide District 1 from District 2
• Big Valley (between Kelseyville and Lakeport, currently portions are in both Districts 4 and 5); the District 4 and 5 Supervisors noted “Kelseyville needs adjustment,” shifting more population to District 5

We sincerely hope these examples can help members of the public consider Communities of Interest near their own residences. The Board, County staff and our Consultant continue to encourage members of the public to weigh in regarding what they view as qualifying Communities of Interest, particularly in areas where some redrawing of District boundaries is more probable.

Lake County’s current (tentative) District Population Counts (i.e. current population, divided along boundaries drawn in 2010)

Here are Lake County’s current tentative District population counts (employing 2010 boundaries):

• District 1: 13,294
• District 2: 14,311
• District 3: 13,905
• District 4: 13,821
• District 5: 12,708

Note: Currently, one area, with 124 residents, is split by District 2 and District 1.

If Lake County’s population were split precisely evenly among the five Districts, each would include 13,633 people.

Based on our current boundaries, District 5 is significantly below that mark.

District 1 is also low, by a much lesser margin.

Additionally, the City of Clearlake, itself, has a population greater than 13,633 (the 2019 estimate was 15,267). Therefore, the Redistricting process will define which portions of the area of the City of Clearlake will be in District 2 (the lion’s share of Clearlake is in District 2), vs. another District (District 1).

In what areas of Lake County is it most likely residents will move from one District to another as a result of 2021 Redistricting efforts?

Based on the above, the following adjustments would seem most probable:

• Shifting some population currently within District 2 to District 1
• Shifting some population currently within District 4 to District 5
  • In order to maintain geographic contiguity, shifting some population currently within District 1 to District 5 is also possible.

How can the public get more information and provide input?

Members of the public are invited to visit the County’s Redistricting page for more information on the broader process: http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Government/Boards/Board_of_Supervisors/Redistricting.htm

Any feedback, questions comments and input on this process can be submitted to [email protected].

How can members of the public draw a map to demonstrate Communities of Interest?

A GIS tool is available for those interested in mapping their Communities of Interest: https://gispublic.co.lake.ca.us/portal/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=d37f8de9fb6b477fbf00173733befd13

Instructions are provided when the map is launched, and Help is available using the “question mark” icon at the upper right.

To draw boundaries of a Community of Interest using our GIS map:

• Zoom into the area of Lake County where your Community of Interest is located (using a computer mouse, fingers on a touchscreen device and/or the “+” and “-” buttons in the upper left of the screen)
• Use the “Draw” function (paintbrush and artist’s palette icon at the upper right) to define boundaries
• Once boundaries are drawn, select the printer icon at the upper right of the screen. This will launch a menu on the right side of the screen to create a PDF file that can then be saved and emailed to [email protected], or printed and delivered in person or by mail to:
  
  County Administrative Office
  ATTN: Redistricting 2021
  255 N. Forbes St.
  Lakeport, CA 95453

Alternatively, residents can use the GIS tool to locate the area of their Community of Interest and print their map, and then draw the boundaries on with an ink pen, for example, and scan and email or mail their map to the above address.

NOTE: "Option 6" is the likely final map, to be proposed for adoption November 30.

Written comments submitted to [email protected] are available here.