CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY THIRD COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. P-19-2 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Isaac Benton
CHARTER AMENDMENT PROPOSAL
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Adopting A Proposition To Be Submitted To The Voters At The November 5, 2019 Regular Local Election Proposing To Amend Article IV, Sections 1, 2, And 3 Of The Albuquerque City Charter Concerning Council Districts (Benton)
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WHEREAS, the City Charter was amended in 1974 to establish nine City Council Districts for the City; and
WHEREAS, when the current nine Council District structure was established in 1974, the population of City was estimated at approximately 260,000; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Census estimates that as of 2017 the City's population within its municipal limits was 585,545, which represents a more than doubling of population since the City's nine Council Districts were originally established; and
WHEREAS, across nine U.S. cities of comparable population, the average population per City Council representative is approximately 52,986 - that is, in those cities there is approximately one city councilor for every 52,986 people; and
WHEREAS, in order to achieve this average ratio of Council representatives to population in Albuquerque, a total of eleven Council Districts would currently be required (585,545 ? 52,986 = 11.05); and
WHEREAS, it appears that the City's political structure has not kept pace with population growth which could have the negative impact of diluting access of individuals to participate with their City government and engage their representatives; and
WHEREAS, consideration of the question as to whether additional Council Districts should be added to the City would be ideally timed at the 2019 election, which is immediately in advance of the 2020 census and the associated decennial redistricting process required by the City Charter.
BE IT PROPOSED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
SECTION 1. The Cit...
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