City of Austin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERelease Date:
Contact: Patricia Fraga, City Auditor’s Office 512-680-1012 Email
WHAT: The City Auditor takes the first step to begin the redistricting process. After a four-month long outreach campaign to recruit Austinites to redraw City Council boundaries for the 2022 election, the City Auditor will randomly select three people to serve on the Applicant Review Panel.
The Applicant Review Panel will select the 60 most qualified applicants for the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.
On Jan. 22, 2021 the City Auditor will conduct a second random drawing from the 60 most qualified applicants to select the first eight Commissioners. The first eight selected will then conduct a process to select the remaining six. The 14-member Commission will redraw the boundaries of the council districts.
The City Auditor’s office received 44 applications for the Applicant Review Panel. Sixteen applicants met the minimum eligibility requirements outlined in City Charter, which require a CPA and audit experience. The demographic breakdown of the 16 qualified applicants includes:
- 44% Male
- 56% Female
- 13% Asian
- 19% Hispanic or Latino
- 63% White
WHEN: 9 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020
WHO: Austin City Auditor Corrie Stokes
WHERE: The random drawing will be broadcast and live-streamed (details below).
Here are the ways to access the broadcast:
- ATXN is available on Spectrum Cable channel 6, Google Fiber channel 6, Grande Communications channel 6, U-Verse channel 99 and at ATXN.tv.
- Facebook Live: www.facebook.com/austintexasgov
Following the drawing the City Auditor will be available for interviews. Please contact patricia.fraga@austintexas.gov, phone 512-680-1012 to coordinate an interview.
The list of applicants that will be part of the random drawing:
|
First Name |
Last Name |
Ethnicity |
Gender |
District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Barry |
Massey |
White |
Male |
9 |
|
Allison |
Griffey |
White |
Female |
4 |
|
William |
Cooper |
White |
Male |
10 |
|
Rodney |
Almaraz |
Hispanic or Latino |
Male |
9 |
|
James |
Christianson |
White |
Male |
9 |
|
Valerie |
Tran |
Asian |
Female |
5 |
|
Thomas |
Davidson |
White |
Male |
1 |
|
Heather |
Bendes |
White |
Female |
10 |
|
Hien |
Pham |
Asian |
Female |
6 |
|
Karin |
Mahajan |
White |
Female |
9 |
|
Kendra |
Shelton |
Hispanic or Latino |
Female |
1 |
|
Rachel |
David |
White |
Female |
5 |
|
Caroline |
Limaye |
White |
Female |
9 |
|
Hugh |
Higgins |
White |
Male |
10 |
|
Robert |
Shanahan |
Hispanic or Latino |
Male |
9 |
|
Abigael |
McClean |
White |
Female |
8 |
About the Redistricting Process
City of Austin voters approved Proposition 3, a City Charter amendment commonly referred to as “10-1,” in November 2012. This Charter amendment provides for the election of City Council Members from 10 geographic single-member districts, with the Mayor elected from the City at-large and began with the November 2014 election.
The amendment calls for the creation of a three-member Applicant Review Panel and a 14-member Citizens Redistricting Commission. The Commission will draw the boundaries for the City of Austin’s new Council election districts and the Panel will select the 60 most qualified applicants from the pool.
The redistricting process happens every ten years and coincides with the census.
As per the City Charter, the City Auditor is tasked with initiating and widely publicizing an application process and taking all reasonable and necessary steps to get a diverse pool of applicants.