As city legislators begin to tackle the monumental task of redistricting 28 wards into 14 by the end of December, they’re asking for the public’s input on how they’d like to see boundaries drawn.
The St. Louis Board of Aldermen on Monday launched a website that provides the public with information on the redistricting process, upcoming dates of public meetings, information on testifying at upcoming meetings, census data and a place to submit comments.
Later on, the website will also provide the public with proposed maps to give them an opportunity to weigh in before a final vote by the board.
“For the first time in over 100 years, the city of St. Louis is drawing its map with 14 wards, not 28,” Aldermanic President Lewis Reed said in a statement. “In order for this process to be successful, we need as much input from the residents of the city of St. Louis as possible. I am encouraging everyone to participate and make their voices heard in this process.”
City voters passed the ward reduction in a 2012 election, which stipulated that the new 14 wards would be redrawn after the 2020 census. It laid out a plan in which the first election in the newly drawn wards would be held in 2023 for all wards and aldermanic president. Odd-numbered wards would start with two-year terms, to stay in line with the election schedule set by the city’s charter in 1915. The Board president and even-numbered wards would run during that initial election for a full four-year term.
By law, the Board of Aldermen must pass a new ward map by Dec. 31.
This ward reduction comes as census data supported what St. Louisans have known for a long time: the city’s population is in decline — with a population totaling 301,578 residents in 2020, down from 319,294 in 2010 and 348,189 in 2000.
The redistricting process occurs every 10 years following the release of new census data. Currently, the board’s legislation committee is charged with creating the new map, which will then be outlined in Board Bill 101, sponsored by Reed and Alderman Joe Vollmer, Ward 10.
However, Proposition R seeks to shift this year’s redistricting task from the Board of Aldermen to an independent citizen redistricting commission and it remains unclear whether the passage of Proposition R in April would be too late to take effect this time around.
While the proposition’s proponents have been adamant there would be time to form a citizen commission to redraw the boundaries for the 2023 election, Reed disagrees. He believes if Prop R is passed by the voters in April, it would only apply to the next redistricting process in 10 years, because the wards would have already been drawn.
By law, the Board of Aldermen must pass a new ward map by Dec. 31.
The new website can be accessed www.stlouis-mo.gov/aldermen/redistricting.