City Council Redistricting Hearing Tonight

Tonight, have your say in the future of city council districts at a public hearing on redistricting alternatives. 

The six redistricting proposals were created by a nine-person Redistricting Commission, which has been meeting weekly since being appointed to the commission by city council. 

(See maps above of the six proposed alternatives. The dot on the maps is where the council member lives.) 

The commission is charged with analyzing existing city council district boundaries and making recommendations for changes by Feb. 15. The City Charter requires a commission to be convened every 10 years following the national census to examine the population equality of each of St. Petersburg's eight council districts. 

St. Petersburg's population fell to 244,769 in 2010 from 248,232 in 2000. 

According to the charter the districts must adhere to the following criteria:

1. Equal representation of 30,596 persons in each City Council district. Deviation can be ±2.0% or between 29,984 and 31,208 persons in each Council district.
2. City Council districts must follow voting precinct boundaries
3. Each district must be formed of contiguous territory.
4. City Council districts must be compact. 
5. City Council districts must follow centerlines of streets, railroad lines or natural boundaries. 

Staff Recommendation

6. Each current City Council member must remain in his or her current City Council district.

Tuesday night's hearing begins at 5 p.m. at City Hall. It will also be televised live on St. Petersburg TV and streamed on the city's website. Those unable to attend Tuesday's public hearing may submit written comments to the City Clerk's office by U.S. Mail or to eva.andujar@stpete.org.