2010 Census to Bring Redistricting to City Wards in 2011
Every 10 years we have a national census and every 10 years our political districts at all levels change due to shifts in population. At the local level in the City of St. Louis we will see some of the 28 wards get geographically larger as others get smaller. The idea is to have each ward represent the same number of persons. So as some areas lose population the ward must grow in size to equal the population of other wards.
We may also see more political battles as the boundaries are redrawn. Going into the 2000 census the following were our ward boundaries:
It was during the 2001 debate over redistricting that then Alderman Irene Smith had her urination incident that has dogged her since. The new boundaries were adopted anyway. The 10trh ward moved to The Hill, the 20th moved from the Northside to the Southside. Some became odd shapes.
The 2010 census should be interesting. It will likely show very little change in total population whereas in prior decades the losses were always huge. But we’ll also see a shift in where people live. Many wards, like the 12th down South, have had little change. But downtown has lots of residents that were not part of the 2000 census. Other areas have also gained population as new or renovated structures have become occupied in the last decade.
In 2011 those of us in even numbered wards will vote on our Aldernmen for the coming four years but after the election we may find ourselves in a differen t ward. In 1994 I moved to the Dutchtown neighborhood. I was in the 13th ward. In 2001 my house was in the 25th ward. In the 70s or 80s the 25th was in the CWE, now the 28th.
Every 10 years we have a census and every 10 years ward boundaries change. Clearly, some more than others. Political retribution through the moving of an Alderman’s ward is not uncommon. One thing is certain, 2011 will be an interesting year in St. Louis.
Who gets to decide where the lines get drawn? The BOA? The mayor? An “independent” commission? The Democratic party? Is it a “public” process or do we voters have to accept something that happens behind closed doors? And, am I safe to assume that every effort will be made to keep sitting aldermen in the wards they currently represent (they won’t be redistricted out of office)? Even if it means we end up with heavily-gerrymandered boundaries?
It’s a politicized, wonkathon. Consultants are hired to make sure there is racial equity. The final product cannot be perceived to be violation of the Voting Rights Act. A ward with a black alderman cannot be redrawn in a fashion that would lessen the chances of electing a black person alderman.
When the 20th ward was moved to the southside, it was based on the notion that it would be an “opportunity ward” to elect a black person alderman, particularly based on the fact that it Was a black ward (Sharon Tyus) at the time.
In reality, it became a white ward, with Schmid, a white man, running and winning in the end. Things would have certainly gotten interesting in STL if Sharon Tyus had been elected in the 1st ward this current election cycle. Would there have been another attempt to move her ward south?
The final product, a map which redraws ward boundaries, is loaded with demographic information to provide the legal foundation for the proposed redistricting of wards. The map is the result of a negotiated process involving city electeds, from aldermen up the mayor’s office. Let’s hope that whatever the final result, the 20th ward no longer has the crooked edges of a house key.
As far as a public process, no, it’s actually a fairly closed process. There are hearings at the Board of Aldermen, but there weren’t any community meetings last time. Maybe that will change? It might be a way to help heal some of our racial divide. Or maybe not. Dumb me.
Hey, you’re not so dumb after all! 😉
My hope — which I know most likely will not happen — is that the BoA tries to keep neighborhoods within one ward as much as possible.
Being part of a Neighborhood Association board, it would be so much easier to have one alderman and one NSO to work with rather than multiple ones.
Where would our city be without its “crooked edges”?
Redistricting is always a bloodbath, with the most powerhouse, juiced-in players punching everyone else’s nose in. It’ll likely take until 2012 at least, before the ink dries on any final new map.
I think Wards 6 and 7 should have a more east-west orientation, where Downtown could have its own Ward separate from the “Frenchtown” Near-Southside neighborhoods, which would also have their own ward. However, unless you’re Sharon Tyus, it’s an unwritten rule to keep the incumbent within his or her ward, which often limits drawing more logical boundaries.
The wards that will probably have the most population growth will be 6, 7, 8, 9, 15 and 20. I’d guess that there will be big boundary changes there. A recent Supreme Court ruling in favor of protecting majority-minority political districts may keep the Board of Aldermen from shifting any north city wards south, even though several north city wards probably have a population decline since 2000. Certainly, I doubt any ward will be completely relocated, even though from a citywide perspective that might be warranted.
I have always felt (and maybe with no reason?) that my neighborhood, Tower Grove East, would be a lot more “unified” if it didn’t have three different alderman controlling parts of the neighborhood. Don’t get me wrong, it is a great neighborhood with a pretty strong neighborhood association, but something seems lacking due to the fact that there isn’t just one person serving our neighborhood.
I don’t see how the best intentions in the world will prevent north st. Louis losing a ward to south st. louis. The city’s population has been stable through this decade, yet 8,000 new people live downtown, the housing north of 44 and west of grand is all new–the Gate district has all kinds of new residents. There is a lot of new housing in the central west end (17th ward). The population of each ward is about 11,000 residents. The 11-15,000 new residents in these wards are offset by that many who have left–and it’s pretty obvious they left north St. Louis. The facts will demand a ward shifts south and the professional haters will use it as a sign of disrespect and disregard. It’s a train-wreck coming and I don’t know one thing that can be done to prevent it.
Downtown is an interesting case–
Do the residents there deserve a single alderman to represent their needs or is it better that it get split up so a few aldermen each gets their piece of the prestigious pie?
I tend to think the former, but pretty much know the latter is what will happen.
The ward boundaries must be changed to reflect where people are living. Anything else would disenfranchise voters.
It will be interesting to see it the recent Supreme Court Ruling (http://tinyurl.com/bpjctz) will have any effect one redistricting.