The city of Colorado Springs has started its redistricting process for the city council. According to the city charter, the boundaries of all six city council districts must be reevaluated every four years to account for changes in population and annexations to the city boundaries. Districts must be substantially equal in population, contiguous, and comply with the federal Voting Rights Act and other laws.
“Redistricting is the critical process of adjusting council districts to help ensure that each Colorado Springs resident has an equal voice in their city government,” said City Clerk Sarah Johnson in a release. “We're excited to launch this important process and will soon share details on public meetings where residents can share thoughts on the district maps.”
This current effort will be completed before the 2025 general municipal election. The districts were last re-aligned in 2020
According to the city, neither the mayor nor the city council approves redistricting plans, it only goes through the clerk's office. A volunteer committee will serve as an advisory body to educate the public, assist the city clerk, and advise the city council on the process. The city council is currently appointing volunteers. The committee will hold at least one public meeting in each council district to solicit public input.
The city clerk plans to release a preliminary district report and map in October. A final report is due no later than Dec. 2, 2024.
More information will be available throughout the process on the city's website.
