May Redistricting Roundtable
Councilmember Elissa Silverman, Chairperson of the Committee of the Whole’s Subcommittee on Redistricting, announces a public roundtable before the Subcommittee on the 2021 redistricting process. The roundtable will be held on Monday, May 24, 2021, at 1:00 p.m.
The purpose of the roundtable is to provide an opportunity for the public to testify before the official start of the redistricting process, as well as for the Subcommittee to share with the public the expected timeline for redistricting in the District of Columbia. Every ten years, the District uses the data from the decennial Census to reapportion the wards and Advisory Neighborhood Commissions. This cycle, the Census Bureau is not expected to release the data necessary for redistricting until August or September of 2021. Under existing District law, the Council has 90 days after receiving the Census data to reapportion the eight wards, so that each has approximately the same population. Once the new ward boundaries have been approved, the Council will reapportion the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, likely in early 2022.
Witnesses may use their phone or computer to participate in this virtual roundtable, which will be broadcast on TV on channel 13, and shown on Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/CMElissaSilverman. Those who wish to testify must sign up no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 20, 2021, by providing their information using the following link: https://forms.gle/D9g7nb8xNjVFigno8. Witnesses must provide their name, email address, telephone number, organizational affiliation (if any), and job title (if any), as well whether they require language interpretation or sign language interpretation.
Witnesses who require language interpretation or sign language interpretation are requested to email the Subcommittee at [email protected] as soon as possible, but no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 17, 2021, stating their need for interpretation and requested language. The Council’s Office of the Secretary will fulfill timely requests for language interpretation services; however, requests received later than May 17 may not be fulfilled due to vendor availability.
On Friday, May 21, the Committee will email witnesses who signed up by the deadline, in order to provide them with details about how to participate in the roundtable via the Zoom platform. Those planning to testify are encouraged to submit an electronic copy of written testimony by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, May 21 so that staff may distribute testimonies to Committee members and staff before the roundtable.
If anyone is unable to testify at the roundtable, written statements will be made a part of the official record. Written statements should be submitted by email to [email protected]. Additionally, the public may provide testimony by voice mail by calling (202) 455-0153, stating and spelling the witness’s name, stating any organizational affiliation, and speaking slowly to provide a statement to be transcribed and included in the record. (Note that the phone number is also used for the Council’s Committee on Labor and Workforce Development.) The record will close at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 7, 2021.