Getting it done just before the December 27th deadline for redistricting, the Gary city council is proposing redrawing precinct maps in 3 council districts. Three city council district boundaries will remain the same; three council district boundaries will change.
Following each 10-year census, state, county, and local governments examine their population sizes to determine if district boundaries will remain the same or need to be redrawn. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Census Bureau delayed the release of the 2020 Census count. Census data was not released until July 31, 2021. Redistricting began at the congressional and state levels, followed by county then local governments.
City council Redistricting Committee Chair Tai Adkins proposed the changes to precinct lines at the meeting on Monday, December 5. Adkins said the proposal would be presented to the full council membership at the Tuesday, December 6 council meeting. But the evening passed without the proposal presentation.
Precinct maps in Districts 1, 2, and 3 will remain the same. Changes are proposed to precinct maps in Districts 4, 5, and 6.
In recent census years, Adkins said, District 5 has remained the lowest in population counts. Current population count in the district is 9,651.
Gary’s 2020 Census count is 69,093. The ideal district population count would be an equal distribution of Gary’s population across its 6 districts. Dividing Gary’s total population by the number of districts is 11,515.
All districts except District 5 are near the 11,515, either slightly below or above. Adkins said the proposal to redraw precinct boundaries will decrease District 5’s nearly 2,000 population difference.
One precinct in the 4th District, G4-28 with a population of 70 residents will be added to District 5.
One precinct in the 6th District, G6-07 with a population of 994 residents will be added to District 5.
The additions will bring the population count in District 5 to 10,715.
Gary lost over 11,000 residents between the 2010 and 2020 Census counts; from 80,294 to 69,093 respectively.
