The Mayor announced and presented a revised redistricting plan for the expanded City Council, surrounded by a diverse group of supporters.

To the Mayor’s credit, she has made the city redistricting process an open and engaging experiment.

To recap, the Planning Department staff initially presented a plan that added the two new seats but did not provide much opportunity for the rapidly growing Hispanic community in Houston to elect additional leaders.

Needless to say, that community raised their voices and the Mayor and Council listened. Led by Council Member James Rodriguez and Hispanic Chamber CEO Laura Murillo, the Latino community pulled together and provided alternative options that will allow for expanded representation.

The new map more accurately reflects the City’s population and demographic trends. You can view the demographics of each district here and view the proposed map by clicking here.

I want to applaud all involved. The State Legislature could take a page from the City of Houston. While there were tensions (as the process essentially demands), leaders came together and worked out a solution. No one is 100% happy but most are satisfied that they had an opportunity to provide input.

City Council will vote on the maps today or next week and they will then be submitted to the Department of Justice for review. This will also trigger the City campaigns to more aggressively begin!

Congrats to the Mayor, Council Member Rodriguez, Dr. Murillo, Rogene Gee Calvert, the Redistricting Commission, the Planning Department and the many citizens who participated in the process. Thanks for proving that good government can be achieved when leaders work together.