Four final proposed ward maps are up for review at Reno’s City Hall as the city prepares to move from having five to six wards. City staff on Thursday presented the final four map options, which take into consideration community feedback and legal requirements.
The redistricting process began in June and since then more than 80 map suggestions have been submitted and reviewed by city staff and redistricting consultants. Calli Wilsey, the city’s director of policy and strategy, said those maps were reviewed for common themes as well as outliers that might be worth consideration.
The final four maps present different ward scenarios based on several rounds of community feedback. Option B, for example, splits downtown Reno between several wards as some feedback suggested everyone has a stake in downtown as an economic driver for the community. Others felt downtown should remain whole, as included in options A and D.
Wilsey said all four of the map options meet the requirements set forth at the start of the process, including maintaining less than 5% deviation in population of registered voters in each ward.
Large printouts of the final four options are available for review at City Hall during normal business hours, and Wilsey said anyone can come and review them.
Feedback on the maps won’t be processed through the redistricting site, however. All comments now must go to Reno City Council, who on Aug. 9 will review the four options and vote on one to approve. Wilsey encouraged the community to submit comment on the maps for that meeting online, by email at [email protected], or by calling 775-393-4499. Community members can also provide comment in person at the Aug. 9 meeting.
If the council selects and votes to approve a final map on Aug. 9, a second vote on the ordinance will be Aug. 23. Should council members request changes to any of the maps, city staff will have to bring a new map before council for another vote. The final map is due to the Washoe County Registrar of Voters by Sept. 1.
