City of Carlsbad residents have a one-in-a-decade opportunity to get involved in the City Council redistricting process by serving on the independent commission that will choose the updated district maps.
Redistricting is the process of redrawing the boundaries of election districts based on Census data to ensure that all districts have the same number of residents. In Carlsbad redistricting will determine which neighborhoods and communities are grouped into a district for the purpose of electing a City Council member. The City of Carlsbad has four City Council members, each representing a district, and a mayor who is elected citywide.
The Carlsbad City Council chose to have an independent commission decide on the final district maps following a number of public meetings, hearings, workshops and online surveys to get input from the public. The public engagement process is scheduled to kick off in August with an informational meeting. Residents can sign up to be notified about the redistricting process on the city’s website.
Key dates
July 13, 2021: Members chosen through random draw
July 29, 2021: First meeting of the commission
Aug. 2021 – March 2022: Public input
Sept – Oct 2021: Updated Census data available
April 2022: Deadline to approve new district map
Nov. 2022: First general election with new district map
Commission makeup
Commission members will be selected through a random draw of eligible applicants, according to the following criteria:
- 2 registered as Republican
- 2 registered as Democrat
- 3 who list another party affiliation on their voter registration
- 1 member from each district
- 3 members citywide (not chosen because they are from a specific district)
- 3 alternates (1 Democratic, 1 Republican, 1 other)
Eligibility
To ensure the commission members are independent, state law includes the following conditions that would prohibit someone from serving:
1. A person or the person’s family member has been elected or appointed to, or been a candidate for, an elective city office in the preceding eight years.
2. A person, or the person’s spouse, has done any of the following in the preceding 8 years (or the person’s non-spouse family member in the preceding 4 years):
- Served as an officer of, employee of, or paid consultant to, a campaign committee or a candidate for elective city office
- Served as an officer of, employee of, or paid consultant to, a political party or as an elected or appointed member of a political party central committee
- Served as a staff member or a consultant to, or has contracted with, a currently serving elected officer of the city
- Been registered to lobby the city
- Contributed $500 or more in a year to any candidate for an elective city office
The Carlsbad City Council established two additional criteria:
- Applicants must have been a Carlsbad resident for at least the past three years.
- Applicants must registered voters 18 or older.
More information
