Brookhaven to hold virtual town hall for redistricting options
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Brookhaven, GA, April 13, 2021 – The City of Brookhaven will hold a virtual town hall and has released draft redistricting maps for the public to view following an action to address the annexations east of Interstate 85 to complete redistricting prior to the upcoming municipal elections this fall.
The proposed options were scheduled to be presented to the Mayor and City Council during the Tuesday, April 13, Work Session and are posted on the City website at https://www.brookhavenga.gov/cityclerk/page/redistricting-options-brookhaven. The virtual town hall will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, April 20, at 7 p.m.
To join the Zoom meeting, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86359586669 or call 312-626-6799, 929 436 2866, 301 715 8592, 346 248 7799, 669 900 6833, or 253 215 8782. (Meeting ID: 863 5958 6669)
Due to complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, The U.S. Census was delayed in receiving data, and currently anticipates local census data to be released at the end of September. However, qualifying for November municipal elections in Brookhaven takes place Aug. 18-20.
“This presents a conundrum for cities that do not control the census or the elections,” said City Manager Christian Sigman. “In order for residents to know what district they live in, whether to run for an office or whom to support for office, they need to know where the district lines are. After seven annexations east of I-85 since 2014, the City has an obligation to make its best estimation to ensure that every vote counts and that every district represents, as nearly as possible, the same number of people.”
To address the issue, the Brookhaven City Council approved a contract with FLO Analytics at its Feb. 23 business meeting to allow the City to make informed decisions and citizens to understand how the process will work to have final maps in place well in advance of the qualifying date.
FLO Analytics is providing a team of population geographers and spatial analysts combining data from the U.S. Census, the American Community Survey, state, county, and regional population forecasts, and local land and building development records to produce population projections for geographies of differing scales.
The work will be complete by May 4, and the Council will vote on new district maps by the end of June.
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Media Contacts:
Burke Brennan
Communications Director
770-500-8095
Burke.Brennan@BrookhavenGA.gov
