Phoenix City Council unanimously approves new district boundaries
Sep 29, 2023, 9:29 AM | Updated: 9:47 am
PHOENIX — The Phoenix City Council unanimously approved new district boundaries on Tuesday.
The updated map, which rebalances the population across the city’s eight districts, will go into effect Jan. 1, 2024.
The first election under the new map is set for Nov. 5, 2024, when the City Council seats in Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7 will be on the ballot.
Why did Phoenix redraw City Council district boundaries?
The city is required by law to go through the redistricting process every 10 years based on the most recent U.S. Census data.
The process, which is separate from Arizona’s congressional and legislative redistricting, must preserve minority rights in compliance with the Voting Rights Act.
Phoenix’s population increased from 1,445,632 in 2010 to 1,608,139 in 2020. Each of the city’s eight districts gained residents, but at rates that created an imbalance larger than allowed by statute.
What happened during Phoenix’s redistricting process?
The redistricting process started in June and included opportunities for public participation and comment.
The district populations had to be substantially equal after redistricting, with small deviations permitted.
To achieve those goals, District 1, 3, 4 and 6 boundaries were adjusted to include more people, while Districts 2, 5, 7 and 8 were made smaller.
