What is redistricting?
It’s the routine process of redrawing boundaries for political offices to reduce differences in population between different districts. Most of the country redistricts every ten years following the Census.
What will be redistricted in Nashville?
Metro Nashville has two sets of political offices divided into districts: the 35 single-member Metro Council districts and the 9 School Board districts.
Additionally, State and Federal districts (State House, State Senate, and U.S. House) will also be redrawn around the same time. However, the State is ultimately responsible for that redistricting process.
Redistricting for the School Board does not change school attendance zones.
Who is responsible for redistricting in Nashville?
Does Nashville need to redistrict?
When will redistricting happen?
Formally, the Planning Commission has six months from when it receives updated Census data to make a recommendation to the Metro Council. The Planning Department received Census data on August 12. Redistricting is currently underway. Staff expects to begin the adoption process in mid-November, with Council potentially adopting new Districts in January 2022.
How are new district boundaries determined?
How can I participate in redistricting?
Will redistricting change where children go to school?
No, School Board district boundaries do not change attendance zones for schools. Though Planning staff may take attendance zones or school clusters into account in drawing new district boundaries, they are not changed by redistricting.
Will redistricting change which police precinct serves my neighborhood?
No, Council District boundaries do not affect police precincts.
Can redistricting change the number of Council or School Board seats?
No, the redistricting process only addresses where district boundaries are. The Metro Charter establishes the number of Council Districts and members and the number of School Board Districts. Changing the number of districts in either body would require a Charter amendment.
When are upcoming elections with the new districts?
School Board elections will occur in August 2022. Metro Council elections will occur in August 2023.
When do new Council and School Board districts take effect?
Formally, new Council and School Board districts take effect upon adoption by Council. This starts a process of updating registration procedures at the Elections Commission, such as redrawing voting precincts to align with new Council and State Senate districts and then issuing new voter registration cards. However, Council and School Board members continue to represent the districts that elected them until the next election for each office.