The Long and Winding Road to 10-1

Plan A: The Applicant Review Panel and the Independent Commission

Part A: Recruiting a Panel and Appointing a Commission

• Gather a pool. (In progress; deadline: March 14)

• Based on the redistricting charter amendment, City Auditor's Office drafts guidelines for selection of would-be commissioners.

• Realize amendment severely limits potential pool; entertain calls from charter authors to expand commission eligibility.

• Auditor drafts eight-page application, including two-page glossary that defines basic terms for would-be commissioners.

• Receive grudging approval of Austinites for Geographic Representation for draft application.

Meanwhile ...

Part B: Selecting the Review Panel

• Create a pool of qualified applicants for the Applicant Review Panel – only Certified Public Accountants need apply – to find three randomly selected auditors. Note shortage of CPAs in year's first quarter: tax time! (Deadline: Feb. 25)

• Auditor conducts random drawing to select three panelists from applicant pool of CPAs. (Congrats! You now have an applicant review panel.) Exhale. (Deadline: Feb. 27)

• Applicant review panelists select 60 "most qualified" commission applicants who have no "conflicts of interest" (see Charter: Ignorance is bliss). (Deadline: May 16)

• Council members may each strike one commissioner for any reason, slightly shrinking pool. (Deadline: May 22)

• City Auditor randomly selects eight commissioners from remaining pool. (Deadline: May 22)

• The chosen eight commissioners select an additional six commissioners from the larger pool, reflecting racial, ethnic, gender, and geographic diversity, and including at least one college student. (Deadline: TBD)

Part C: Adopting a District Plan

Not so fast!

• No communication with City Council members or their staff

• Commission selects chair and vice chair.

• Hire legal counsel, consultants, and technical assistance, as necessary.

• Hold at least eight public hearings, with two in each of the four Travis County precincts.

• Present preliminary plan, followed by four more hearings, one in each of four county precincts.

• Vote on final plan, followed by two more public hearings – one north of Lady Bird Lake, one south of the lake.

• Allow at least five days of written public comments.

• Final plan adopted. (Deadline: TBD.)

Or ... Plan B: Alternative Redistricting Plan (Too Short and Simple to Ever Be Adopted)

• City Council appoints citizen committee (e.g., along lines of Charter Revision Committee, which initially recommended the 10-1 plan).

• CRC or similar committee appoints three to five independent commissioners, selected for their experience and good judgment.

• Commissioners hire such legal counsel and redistricting expertise as necessary.

• Commission draws preliminary districting plan.

• Commission receives public comment on preliminary plan.

• Commission adopts final districting plan.

Note: Redistricting plan must be geographically compact and contiguous, and respect neighborhoods, communities of interest, election precincts, and identifiable geographical boundaries.