The 10-member committee has been meeting with the city’s consultant Alan Bojorquez, from Bojorquez Law Firm, since October to review 2020 census data and draft redistricting maps.
Rezzin Pullum, an attorney with the Bojorquez Law Firm, presented population data and considerations for redistricting during a Nov. 8 City Council meeting.
From 2010 to 2020, New Braunfels grew by 56.5%—from 57,740 residents to 90,370—according to U.S. Census Bureau data. If divided evenly, the ideal district size would be 15,062 residents per district, Pullum said.
Because population growth does not happen evenly, the districts now have large differences in population growth between them, Pullum said.
The 2010 map shows disparities with current populations in place. The District 1 area is closest to the goal of 15,062 residents, with 15,020. District 2 has 21,034 residents; District 3 has 13,339 residents; District 4 has 16,995 residents; District 5 has 14,161 residents; and District 6 has 9,821 residents.
“Just immediately you can kind of see District 2 is going to be your largest district with close to 6,000 people over what is that ideal target population,” Pullum said. “District 6 is heavily underpopulated. It's about 5,200 people under what the ideal district would require.”
To meet federal preclearance guidelines, the maps cannot have population discrepancies greater than 10% of each population total, he said.
On Dec. 3, the city released two potential redistricting maps, both of which would have portions of District 2 reallocated to District 6. The plans also show districts 1, 3, 4 and 5 remaining largely unchanged with a few adjustments.
A public hearing is scheduled for Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. at New Braunfels City Hall, located at 550 Landa St. The committee will select one of the proposed maps to recommend to council during the meeting.
City Council is expected to adopt the final redistricting plan in January.
Eric Weilbacher contributed to this report.
