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STEELE CREEK NEWS

Redistricting for 2022 Elections is Proceeding for Multiple Jurisdictions

Key Date: October 5. Charlotte City Council and Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners both have public meetings to discuss redistricting plans

(October 5, 2021) State and local officials are currently reviewing 2020 Census population counts for various representative districts to update the boundaries and ensure that they have approximately equal populations (within 5% of the optimum population for all districts except U.S. Congressional Districts). New boundaries must be completed and provided to the Board of Elections by November 17 in order for them to prepare for candidate filing and other 2022 Election steps.

2021 Elections Delayed

The Census Bureau was unable to provide census counts for small area geography by April 1, 2021 as originally scheduled due to delays related to COVID. The census countss were released on August 12. Therefore, Charlotte City Council and Charlotte-Mecklenburg School district boundaries could not be redistricted in time for July 2021 candidate filing. As a result, elections for Charlotte Mayor and City Council and Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board district representatives were delayed until 2022.

The six towns in Mecklenburg County elect representatives at large and do not need to update districts. Their elections will follow the normal 2021 schedule.

Charlotte City Council

Charlotte residents will elect a mayor, 4 at-large City Council members, and 7 district City Council members in 2022. The election schedule:

  • Monday, December 6 to Friday, December 17, 2021 - Candidate filing
  • Tuesday, March 8, 2022 - Primary Election
  • Tuesday, April 26 or May 17, 2022 - General Election

The Charlotte City Council Redistricting Ad Hoc Committee has recommended three redistricting plans for further consideration. See maps of Draft Plans A, B, and C. (Draft Plan D was not selected to move forward.) District 3 has a population above the optimum size and will lose precincts. Draft Plan A moves 1 precinct from District 3 to District 1 (Precinct 22) and 1 precinct from District 3 to District 6 (Precinct 77). Plans B and C move three precincts from District 3 to District 2 (Precincts 23, 24, and 81).

The City of Charlotte is hosting a virtual Redistricting Listening Session on Tuesday, October 5, at 6:00 PM. See Redistricting Listening Session Registration Form for more information and to sign up to speak. Residents who register to participate will have access to join the WebEx engagement experience. The listening session will also be live streamed on the city's Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Redistricting timeline:

  • October 5: The redistricting committee will receive public comments and input on proposed, revised district maps being considered by the committee.
  • October 18: The City Council will hold a public hearing on proposed, revised district maps.
  • November 8: The City Council will vote to adopt revised district maps based on 2020 census data.
  • November 12: The city will notify the local board of elections as to whether final revised maps will be available by November 17.
  • November 17: The city’s deadline to provide adopted district maps to the board of elections, in accordance with law.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board members serve four year staggered terms. At-large members were elected in 2019. Mecklenburg County residents will elect six district representatives in 2022, postponed from 2021. The election schedule:

  • Filing for the School Board opens at noon July 25, 2022 and ends at noon on August 12, 2022.
  • The Election is on Tuesday, November 8 2022.

A Redistricting Workgroup (RWG) will present three district map options to the Board of Education on October 12, 2021. District 2 has a population above the optimum size and will lose precincts.

Redistricting timeline:

  • September 7, 2021 to October 1, 2021: RWG completes map drawing with three distinct options.
  • October 12, 2021: RWG presents the proposed three mas to the Board of Education
  • October 13, 2021: Virtual Town Hall #1
  • October 19, 2021: Virtual Town Hall #2
  • October 21, 2021: Virtual Town Hall #3
  • October 21, 2021: Public hearing on the proposed three maps and Board of Education work session
  • November 5, 2021: Final proposed maps posted on CMS website, Facebook page, and Twitter account
  • November 9, 2021: Public hearing and Board of Education vote on final map

Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners

Mecklenburg County residents will elect six district representatives in 2022 following the standard 2022 election schedule:

  • Filing opens at noon on Monday, December 6, 2021 and closes at noon on Friday, December 17, 2021.
  • Tuesday, March 8, 2022: Primary Election
  • Tuesday, November 8, 2022: General Election.

The Board of County Commissioners will receive a presentation with three alternatives at its regular meeting on Tuesday, October 5. Most of Steele Creek is in District 2, which exceeds the optimum population by more than 5% and will need to lose one or more precincts. Two options will move a minimal number of precincts. Option A moves one precinct (Precinct 98) from District 2 to District 5. Option B moves two precincts (Precincts 22 and 52) from District 2 to District 5. Option C starts with a blank slate and moves 60 precincts.

Two Steele Creek precincts (Precincts 122 and 229) currently are in District 6 and remain in District 6 in Options A and B.

See the meeting agenda here: October 5 Meeting Agenda. See the link to the Mecklenburg County BOCC Proposed Redistricting Plans with the maps on Page 3 of the agenda. Members of the public can access and view the meeting on the Government Channel or online at: https://watch.mecknc.gov on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 beginning at 5:00 PM.

Although the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board and Board of County Commissioners each divide the county into six districts, there seems little interest in coordinating the districts.

Redistricting timeline:

  • October 5, 2021: Presentation of 3 alternatives
  • October 19, 2021: Public hearing on proposed plans
  • November 3, 2021: Adoption of Resolution for selected plan
  • November 17, 2021: Deadline for submission of adopted plan to the Board of Elections

North Carolina General Assembly and United States Congress

The North Carolina General Assembly has been holding public hearings on redistricting. View videos of these meeting and follow the redistricting progress at this link: Legislative and Congressional Redistricting.

Mecklenburg County currently has 10% of the members of the General Assembly: 5 of 50 senators and 12 of 120 House members. Due to population growth, Mecklenburg County likely will add one partial Senate district and a 13th House district.

Mecklenburg County contains all of Congressional District 12 and part of Congressional District 9.

It is unclear whether the General Assembly will retain most of the correct districts, moving precincts as necessary to equalize populations, or start from scratch.

The Primary Election is on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, and the General Election is on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

To comment on this story, please visit the Steele Creek Residents Association Facebook Page.

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