Sonoma County nears the end of redistricting process; next public hearing on November 16

The County of Sonoma is entering into the final weeks of its redistricting process, which, upon completion, will determine geographic areas of Sonoma County supervisorial districts for the next 10 years. 

The next redistricting hearing, which can be attended in-person or virtually, will take place during the November 16 Board of Supervisors meeting at 8:45 a.m. During this hearing, the county’s demographer will present revised map options based on the direction given by the board during the November 2 public hearing where supervisors reviewed the first iteration of the Advisory Redistricting Commission’s recommended draft map. Proposed changes to the draft map, based on board direction, centered on the cities of Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa, including the Roseland and Moorland areas of Santa Rosa.

Changes to one part of a district map often require changes elsewhere to ensure maps are population balanced as required by federal law. Population-balanced maps help to ensure diverse communities are fairly represented and have a voice at the decision-making table through equal representation. These new district lines ultimately will determine who and what areas are represented on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors by determining which neighborhoods and communities are grouped together into a district.

The board is scheduled to select a preferred map during the November 16 hearing, with the deadline for public input on the preferred map being November 19. An ordinance to adopt a map is slated to be introduced and adopted on December 7. Based on a statutory deadline, a new Sonoma County supervisorial district map must be adopted by December 15. The new map and election sequencing will then go into effect for the county’s next election cycle.

The hearing materials, draft maps, virtual meeting links, past meeting recordings and additional redistricting resources can be accessed through the County of Sonoma’s redistricting webpage, sonomacounty.ca.gov/redistricting. Community members may submit comments on the board-selected preferred map through November 19 by emailing redistricting2021@sonoma-county.org.