The results of the 2020 federal Census indicated that the City of Georgetown’s single-member council districts are sufficiently out of population balance to require redistricting in order to comply with the “one-person, one-vote” (equal population) principle established by the U.S. Constitution. As a result the City of Georgetown (the “City”) engaged the law firm of Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP to act as the City’s redistricting consultant, including advising and assisting the City Council in preparation of a new redistricting plan in compliance with applicable requirements of state and federal law.
On October 26, 2021, the City Council adopted redistricting criteria to assist the City and the public in developing redistricting plans which comply with applicable federal and state laws, and the adopted redistricting criteria were applied in the development of the City’s new redistricting plan and also adopted redistricting guidelines regarding the submission of comments and proposed plans by the public, to ensure the ability of the City to timely receive and adequately consider them.
Consistent with the criteria and guidelines establish by the City Council, the City Council meetings on November 9, 2021, on November 23, 2021, and on December 3, 2021 and a public hearing held on December 14, 2021. The City provided notice to the public of each meeting and public hearing through meeting agendas posted in compliance with the Texas Open Meetings.
On December 14, 2021, the City Council will consider citizen oral testimony and written comments, and reports from the City’s redistricting consultant regarding the appropriate reconfiguration of the council member districts, voted to approve Revised Plan C as the City’s redistricting plan. In adoption this Ordinance, the City Council finds that the attached city council district redistricting plan is in the best interest of the citizens of the City, complies with the adopted redistricting criteria, and is believed to comply with all state and federal requirements.