18Public Comment
From: Julia Gomez <JGomez@aclusocal.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2021 4:05 PM
To: Public Comment
Cc: Jazzmin Mercado; Grace Fan; Christina Nguyen; Cynthia Valencia
Subject: Aug. 10 Meeting: Public Comment on Agenda Item 18, Redistricting Timeline
Attachments: 2021-08-10 - OCAPICA ACLU Letter to Anaheim CC re Item 18.pdf
Hello,
Attached please find comment from OCAPICA and the ACLU on agenda item 18 regarding the planned redistricting
timeline. Thank you.
Julia
Julia Gomez, Staff Attorney
ACLU of Southern California
1313 W 8th Street, Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(o) 213.977.5258
aclusocal.org II facebook II twitter II bloc II app
ACLU SoCal: STAND FOR JUSTICE >> Download our mobile app at mobileiusticeca.orp
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AMERIU' N CIVIL UBMIES UNION
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August 10, 2021
Sent Via Email
Anaheim City Council
City Hall Council Chambers
200 S. Anaheim Blvd., First Floor
Anaheim, CA 92805
publiccomment@anaheim.net
Re: Public Comment on City Council Redistricting Process Timeline
August 10, 2021 Meeting, Agenda Item 18
Dear Members of the City Council:
The Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) and the American
Civil Liberties Union of Southern California (ACLU) write to provide suggestions on the Council's draft
redistricting process timeline. OCAPICA is part of the Anaheim Citizens Redistricting Committee and the
People's Redistricting Alliance (PRA), two coalitions made up of Anaheim residents and community-
based organizations, respectively, working in the region to promote a greater community voice in the
redistricting process. The ACLU is also a member of the PRA and aims to provide legal and organizing
support to member organizations.
We commend the City's decision to move forward with its planning for the 2021-2022
redistricting process, including its plan to hold more than the required number of public hearings and
workshops. We request that the Council, however, amend its draft timeline to host the post -map
community meetings in January and February of 2022. Currently, the timeline has the Council releasing
draft maps in late October 2021 and hosting community meetings in November and December of this
year. While we appreciate the Council's efforts to move the process along, we are concerned that
hosting post -map community meetings during the same timeframe when the Orange County Board of
Supervisors and the California Citizens Redistricting Commission will be hosting the bulk of their post -
map hearings may make it difficult for Anaheim residents to engage in the City's redistricting process.
We are also concerned that it will be difficult to engage Anaheim residents during the November to
December holiday season and to keep them engaged over the holiday break and into early next year
when the Council votes on a final map.
Instead of hosting post -map hearings this fall, we suggest that the Council: 1) focus on
continuing to host pre -map community meetings and hearings until the end of the year; 2) delay the
release of draft maps until early January 2022; and 3) host the remainder of post -map community
meetings and public hearings in January and February of 2022, extending the process until March or
mid-April 2022 if necessary.
We appreciate the Council and staff's efforts to plan for the redistricting process and look
forward to continuing to work with you on making this process inclusive and transparent.
Sincerely,
Christina Nguyen Julia A. Gomez
Program Supervisor, Policy and Civic Engagement Staff Attorney
OCAPICA ACLU SoCal
ctnguyen@ocapica.org jgomez@aclusocal.org