Voting District Changes Approved By Norwalk Common Council

Information via the city of Norwalk

NORWALK, CT — The Norwalk Common Council has approved a committee's recommendations to revise the city's voting districts, city officials announced Tuesday.

According to a news release provided by the city, the Common Council has approved the recommendations of the Reapportionment Advisory Committee, working in collaboration with the city's consultants and legal counsel, to revise the voting districts to reflect federal and state laws, including the Voting Rights Act.

This effort follows nationwide models that align district boundaries with census blocks, ensuring fair and balanced representation for all voters, according to city officials.

Project Overview

The city engaged ARCBridge Consulting and Training, Inc. to evaluate the Common Council district boundaries in accordance with City Code § 9-26, which sets forth standards for reapportionment, city officials said.

According to the city, this ordinance requires that districts:

• Maintain substantially equal population to uphold fair representation.
• Be compact and contiguous, taking into account geographical divisions, communities of interest, and historical boundaries.
• Align, where possible, with existing taxing districts as defined in the city charter.
• Follow the requirements of General Statutes §9-169f, to the extent possible.

What This Means for Voters

As a result of these updates, some voters may experience changes in their representation on the Common Council and polling location, city officials said.

These adjustments impact a small portion of the city's population and were carefully considered to maintain neighborhood continuity and accomplish "one person, one vote" to ensure that each individuals vote carries equal weight in elections, according to the city.

A redistricting map detailing the new boundaries is available for public review:

• In person: A free copy is available upon request at the Registrar of Voters office (125 East Avenue, Room 103).
• Online: The map can be accessed through the city's website.

Official notices will also be mailed to all affected voters prior to the next election, city officials said.

Anyone with questions or concerns regarding these changes is asked to contact the Registrar of Voters Office by phone at 203-854-7764, or by email at dpaladino@norwalkct.gov or at swells@norwalkct.gov.

A detailed list of affected streets is also available here, although city officials also noted not all streets are affected in entirety.