Q. What is the Redistricting Commission?
A. In November 2014, the Oakland electorate approved a ballot measure creating an independent, non-political Redistricting Commission that will redraw district boundary lines for City Council Districts and Oakland Unified Board Member Districts. Oakland’s first Redistricting Commission was formed in August 2020 and currently meets monthly on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:00 pm.
Q. How many Commission members are there?
A. The Redistricting Commission has 13 voting members and two alternate members. All existing districts are represented on the Redistricting Commission. Commissioner biographies are available on this webpage.
Q. How were Commissioners selected?
A. Applications were received in 2020, and a three-member Screening Panel reviewed the applications recommending 30 candidates as part of an eligible applicant pool. The first six Commissioners were randomly selected by the City Clerk, and those six individuals selected the remaining nine Commissioners from the remaining applicants on the eligible list.
Q. Are there eligibility requirements for Commissioners?
A. Yes, the Redistricting Commissioners had to meet the following eligibility requirements:
- All members shall be residents of the City of Oakland for at least the three years preceding the date of application.
- All members shall not have a conflict of interest, as defined in the Political Reform Act, commencing at Section 81000 of the Government Code.
- All members shall not be paid employees of the City of Oakland, Oakland Unified School District or serve on a City of Oakland or Oakland Unified School District Board or Commission.
- All members shall not, within the five years immediately preceding the date of application, be paid employees of any redistricting contractor or consultant.
- All members, their spouses, parents, children, or registered domestic partners, shall not, within 10 years immediately preceding the date of application be:
- Elected to, or a candidate for office for the City of Oakland or the Oakland School Board; or
- An employee, or paid consultant or contractor to a campaign for local office; or
- Registered or required to be registered as a local lobbyist; or
- A paid employee of, a consultant to, or under contract with any elected City of Oakland Official or Oakland Unified School Board Member; or
- A principal officer of an active campaign committee domiciled in Alameda County that has made an expenditure on local Oakland candidate elections.
- All members shall not contribute 50% or more of the allowable amount to candidates for City of Oakland and Oakland Unified School District elective office in the election preceding the application date. In 2019, the 50% contribution amount that cannot be exceeded is $400 for individuals.
- All members shall not be registered to vote in a polling place located outside of Oakland city limits.
Q. When is the deadline for approving the final district boundaries?
A. The Redistricting Commission has until December 31, 2021, to approve the final boundary lines. If a map is not approved by this deadline, then the City will issue a temporary map effective January 1, 2022, which will remain in effect until the Commission approves their map. To learn more about the Commission's deadline, read the public legal opinion issued by the City Attorney's Office.
Q. What are the goals of the Commission?
A. The Commission is tasked with conducting an open and transparent hearing process as they receive public input and consideration of the proposed district maps. Commissioners must follow all laws governing their work while ensuring fairness and integrity in approving the new district boundaries.
Q. Are Commissioners paid for their work?
A. No, these are unpaid volunteer positions.
Q. When will the next Redistricting Commission be formed?
A. The Redistricting Commission is formed every 10 years after the conclusion of the U.S. Census. The next Redistricting Commission application period will be opened in January 2030.
Q. What restrictions are placed on Commissioners after they are done serving?
A. A Commissioner is ineligible, for a period of 10 years beginning from the date of appointment, to hold elective public office for the City of Oakland. A Commissioner is also ineligible, for a period of four years beginning from the date of appointment, to hold appointive public office for the City of Oakland or Oakland Unified School Board, to serve as paid staff for or as a paid consultant to Oakland City Council, or any member of the City Council or Oakland School Board, to receive a non-competitively bid contract with the City of Oakland, or to register as a lobbyist. This four-year ban on having a paid consultancy or entering non-competitively bid contracts applies to the member individually and all entities for which the member is a controlling person.
Q. Will the new boundaries change which school my child attends?
A. No, the new district boundaries will not impact which schools Oakland students attend.
Q. What happens if an elected official no longer resides in their district after the new map is adopted?
A. Regardless of the new map and its boundaries, the individual completes the term that they were elected to serve. So if an incumbent's term was set to expire in 2022 or 2024, then they continue to serve in their elected official capacity until the term expires.
Q. How do I find more information?
A. For more information visit www.oaklandca.gov/redistricting.