Redistricting Workshop Offers Look at Options

The look of Sacramento County's 3rd District, which includes Carmichael, will change but how exactly it looks has yet to be determined, county officials told residents Tuesday at a redistricting workshop.

County Supervisor Susan Peters held the workshop at the as one of several similar workshops around the county. The 2010 Census figures have been released showing a 16 percent increase in population for the county which will require district boundary adjustments for all five members of the board of supervisors at a hearing on July 26.

Census data shows Sacramento County’s population to be 1,418,788 which is 195,289 more residents than 10 years ago, Peters said. The Department of Voter Registration and Elections has prepared five plans for consideration to balance out the population in order to make each district as equal as possible while taking into account "communities of interest."

To get the new districts ready for the upcoming 2012 election, the proposals were available for viewing at Tuesday's workshop. Residents were able to provide input on draft redistricting plans at the forum as well as learn more about the redistricting process.

Almost 40,000 people must be added to District 3 which poses a challenge when considering factors like communities of interest and natural borders, Peters has said.

Currently, District 3 covers Carmichael, Arden-Arcade, East Sacramento, Foothill Farms and Rancho Cordova. Depending on which plan is selected, the district could include parts of Rosemont, Antelope and North Highlands.

"The residents of Carmichael are in a safe area but Fair Oaks may not be," said Alice Jarboe, assistant to the county registrar of voters.

The next workshop will be on May 26 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Swanston Park, 2350
Northrop Avenue in Arden-Arcade. Information about other dates and locations are available online at elections.saccounty.net or call 875-5827.

Residents can view the different proposals online at elections.saccounty.net as well email ideas and input to Voters-Redistrict2011@saccounty.net.