Message from County Commissioner Steven Abrams - The Redistricting Process: Resident Input Requested

Just as the U.S. Congress and the Legislature have to redistrict their seats every 10 years, so does the County. 

The recent 2010 census count resulted in a 16% increase in population for Palm Beach County.  So that all of the County’s seven districts have as equal population as possible, the district I represent (District 4) needs to acquire an additional 17,000 people. 

The following criteria, approved by the Board of County Commissioners, will be used to guide the redistricting process:

-      Achieve population equity among commission districts (10% or less variance)

-      Adhere to the Voting Rights Act of 1965

-      Follow major natural and man-made boundaries

-      Maintain integrity of communities of interest

-      Encourage compactness

-      Ensure contiguity

-      Preserve the core of the existing voter’s districts

County staff is currently reviewing and analyzing 2010 Census data based on the above guidelines. Revised district boundaries will be presented to the board in the fall and adopted prior to January 2012. For more information and to provide the Board of County Commissioners with your input, please visit http://www.pbcgov.com/redistricting/.

Thank you for your time and please contact me if you have any questions or comments. 

Commissioner Steven L. Abrams

Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners

District 4