City of Topeka Official Website > City Council > Redistricting Commission

Redistricting Commission

Pursuant to Topeka Municipal Code Sections A2-23 and 2.205.020, the City Council shall appoint a commission to revise Council district boundary lines every ten years subsequent to the national census.

The Redistricting Commission shall consist of nine members who shall be registered voters, one member being appointed from each district by the Councilmember from that district. Councilmembers shall not serve as members of the Commission.

Upon the completion of consideration of proposed district boundary line changes, the Commission shall recommend any suggested revisions of such boundary lines to the Governing Body for its consideration by September 30, 2022. On or before December 31, 2022, the Governing Body shall reestablish district boundaries as recommended by the Commission or reject in whole or in part the recommendations and reestablish the boundaries as the Governing Body sees fit. After it has submitted its recommendations and responded to Council inquiries, the Commission shall cease to exist.
  1. Contain within each district a population which is, to the greatest extent feasible, equal to 1/9 of the City’s population, but under no circumstances shall be greater or less than 1/9 of the City’s population by more than 2.5% based on the 2022 census.
  2. Maintain a reasonably compact area in each district and avoid, when possible, noncontiguous zones or any unusually exaggerated extension of district lines.
  3. Follow election precinct lines as established by the election commissioner and be described in terms of wards and precincts contained in each district.
  4. Avoid use of number of registered voters by party or other partisan data.
  5. Maintain, as much as possible, the integrity of broadly cohesive areas of interest.
  6. Avoid boundary lines that result in a council member residing outside of the council member’s district.
Plan A was unanimously approved by the Redistricting Commission on September 1, 2022, and adopted by the Governing Body (Ordinance No. 20382) on November 1, 2022.

Plan A would make no changes to Districts 4, 5 and 7. Districts 1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and 9 are changed, as follows:
  • District 1: Acquires Ward 7/Precinct 4 from District 9 (820 electors)
  • District 2: Acquires Ward 2/Precinct 4 from District 3 (668 electors)
  • District 3: Acquires Ward 9/Precinct 1 from District 6 (221 electors)
    • Loses Ward 2/Precinct 4 to District 2 (668 electors)
  • District 6: Acquires Ward 7/Precinct 9 from District 9 (569 electors)
    • Loses Ward 9/Precinct 1 to District 3 (221 electors)
  • District 8: Loses Ward 12/Precinct 31 to District 9 (605 electors)
  • District 9: Acquires Ward 12/Precinct 31 from District 8 (605 electors)
    • Loses Ward 7/Precinct 4 to District 1 (820 electors)
    • Loses Ward 7/Precinct 9 to District 6 (569 electors)
  • Jessica Porter, Council District No. 1
  • Laura Pederzani, Council District No. 2
  • Teresa Leslie-Canty, Council District No. 3
  • John Nave, Council District No. 4
  • Marcus Clark, Council District No. 5
  • Vicki Arnett, Council District No. 6
  • Jeff Wagaman, Council District No. 7
  • Bill Hill, Council District No. 8
  • Michelle Hoferer, Council District No. 9

Meetings

Meetings are scheduled on August 4, August 11 and August 18, 2022, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Cyrus K. Holliday Building First Floor Conference Room, located at 620 SE Madison Street, Topeka, Kansas. Additional meeting dates may be scheduled if the Committee deems it necessary.

All meetings are open to the public, televised and available for viewing online at https://www.topeka.org/citycouncil/stream-city-council-meetings/ or at https://www.facebook.com/cityoftopeka/
Public comment can be submitted via email to cclerk@topeka.org. Comments may also be delivered in-person or mailed to the Office of the City Clerk located at 215 SE 8th Street, Room 166, Topeka, Kansas, 66603.
To create a redistricting map proposal click on the interactive map link https://topeka.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/66ebb4bd2aa549e297bdbbe493dbb7cc. All map proposals may be emailed to the City Clerk’s Office at cclerk@topeka.org.
Agenda | Minutes | Video

Meeting Goal: Appointment of a Commission Chair and the procedure for establishing district boundary lines shall be discussed
Agenda | Minutes | Video
Agenda | Minutes | Video
  • Meeting Goal: Receive the comments and input of interested citizens.
  • Time: from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m
  • Location: Cyrus K. Holliday Building First Floor Conference Room, located at 620 SE Madison Street, Topeka, Kansas
Public Hearing Process
  • Written comments can be submitted via email to cclerk@topeka.org. Comments may also be delivered in-person or mailed to the Office of the City Clerk located at 215 SE 8th Street, Room 166, Topeka, Kansas, 66603. All written comments will be distributed to Commission members.
  • In-Person Comments. In-person comments will be considered at the public hearing on Thursday, August 18 at 5 p.m. at the Holliday Building. Individuals may appear in person or by Zoom. If appearing by Zoom, the individual must notify the City Clerk by 4 p.m. on August 18 so that communications staff can be notified to provide the Zoom link. Comments shall be limited to 4 minutes. If the person requests additional time, one extension may be granted by the chairperson, not to exceed 2 minutes. Each person shall step up to the microphone and shall state his or her name for the record. All remarks shall be addressed to the Commission as a whole and not to any individual member.
Agenda | Minutes | Video
  • Meeting Goal: Finalize and approve recommendations for a redistricting map to be presented to the Governing Body
  • Time: from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • Location: Cyrus K. Holliday Building First Floor Conference Room, located at 620 SE Madison Street, Kansas