§ 5.05. Council districts; adjustment of districts.

(a)

Number of districts. There shall be four (4) city council districts.

(b)

Districting commission. Within thirty (30) days following ratification of this Charter by the voters at referendum and thereafter by the 30th day following official certification of the decennial census to the state, or at any interim period chosen by the City Council, the City Council shall appoint ten (10) city electors, determined from the registration for the last statewide general election, who shall comprise the districting commission. Electors chosen shall not be employed or appointed by the City in any other capacity.

(c)

Report; specifications. Within one hundred and twenty (120) days of appointment, the districting commission shall file with the official designated by the council, a report containing a recommended plan for adjustment of the council district boundaries to comply with these specifications:

(1)

Each district shall be formed of compact, contiguous territory;

(2)

The districts shall be based on the principle of equal and effective representation as required by the United States Constitution and as represented in the mathematical preciseness reached in the legislative apportionment of the state;

(3)

The report shall include a map and description of the districts recommended and shall be drafted as a proposed ordinance. Once filed with the designated official the report shall be treated as an ordinance introduced by a councilmember.

(d)

Support. It shall be the responsibility of the city manager to provide staff assistance and technical data to the districting commission.

(e)

Procedure. The procedure for the council's consideration of the report shall be the same as for other ordinances provided that if a summary of the ordinance is published pursuant to this Charter and general law, it must include both the map and a description of the recommended districts.

(f)

Failure to enact ordinance. The council shall adopt a redistricting ordinance at least ninety (90) days before the next regular city election. If the council fails to do so by such date, the report of the districting commission shall go into effect and have the effect of an ordinance.

(g)

Effect of enactment. The new council districts and boundaries, as of the date of enactment, shall supersede previous council districts and boundaries for all the purposes of the next regular city election, including qualifications. The new districts and boundaries shall supersede previous districts and boundaries for all other purposes as of the date on which all councilmembers elected subsequent to the date the new districts went into effect take office.

(Adopted by electorate, 11-2-76; Amendment adopted by electorate, 11-6-90)