Brookhaven Begins Redistricting Process Ahead Of Fall Elections

BROOKHAVEN, GA — Brookhaven City Council is beginning the process of redistricting ahead of the upcoming municipal elections in November.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the U.S. Census Bureau to be delayed in receiving census data, which is expected to be released in late September. But qualifying dates for the November elections in Brookhaven are Aug. 18-20, and census data is key when it comes to redistricting.

“This presents a conundrum for cities that do not control the census or the elections,” City Manager Christian Sigman said in a news release. “In order for residents to know what district they live in, whether to run for an office or whom to support for office, they need to know where the district lines are. After seven annexations east of I-85 since 2014, the city has an obligation to make its best estimation to ensure that every vote counts and that every district represents, as nearly as possible, the same number of people.”

City council members approved a contract between the city and FLO Analytics at the Feb. 23 business meeting to address this issue. The contract "will allow the city to make informed decisions and citizens to understand how the process will work to have final maps in place" prior to the qualifying dates for elections, the release said.

A team of population geographers and spatial analysts will be provided by FLO Analytics for the city. The team will combine data from the U.S. Census Bureau; the American Community Survey; state, county and regional population forecasts; and local land and building development records to produce population projections for geographies of differing scales.

FLO Analytics will provide the following:

• A summary identifying data elements the analysis will consider and provide a detailed project timeline;
• Four public meetings during the redistricting project, which will be held virtually and advertised in advance;
• A summary describing the assessment of the population balance of the city's existing district boundaries, in addition to a map and demographic table showing population change for each city council district;
• A minimum of four City Council district boundary maps, each with demographic data tables and written descriptions;
• The development of a final district boundary proposal to submit to council for consideration and approval.

Work is expected to be completed by mid-May with a council vote by the end of June.