About 2021 Redistricting in Sonoma County

Redistricting is the process where the district lines for Congress, state legislatures, county board of supervisors, city councils, school boards and other elected officials are redrawn every 10 years based on Census data.

Redistricting ensures every person has fair representation by drawing districts with an equal number of people. How the districts are drawn determines how effectively a community is represented in the halls of government.

Redistricting determines which neighborhoods and communities are grouped together into a district for purposes of electing a board member. The Board of Supervisors will seek input in selecting the next district map for our supervisorial districts. You have an opportunity to share with the Board of Supervisors how you think district boundaries should be drawn to best represent your community.

You can find an interactive map of the County’s current supervisorial districts here

• District 1: The 1st Supervisorial District is bounded on the north by Franz Valley School Road, the Napa county line to the east, to the west by Petaluma Hill, Summerfield, Brush Creek, Wallace & Riebli Roads, & San Pablo Bay to the south. Population is concentrated in the City of Santa Rosa (Bennett Valley, Rincon Valley & the community of Oakmont), the City of Sonoma and the adjacent unincorporated communities of Kenwood, Agua Caliente, Glen Ellen, El Verano, Boyes Hot Springs, Schellville & Vineburg.
• District 2: The 2nd Supervisorial District includes all of the cities of Petaluma and Cotati and a portion of Rohnert Park, as well as the unincorporated communities of Penngrove, Two Rock, Bloomfield, and a portion of the unincorporated community south of Sebastopol. Much of the dairy industry is located in the 2nd district, as well as a large portion of the San Pablo Bay frontage.
• District 3: The 3rd Supervisorial District encompasses most of central Santa Rosa, with the northern boundary of Fountaingrove Parkway, and most of Rohnert Park east of Highway 101 with Sonoma State University marking the southern end of District 3.
• District 4: The 4th Supervisorial District includes Northwest Santa Rosa, Fulton and encompasses all of the Larkfield-Wikiup area. It then runs north including all of the Town of Windsor, the City of Healdsburg, the community of Geyserville and the City of Cloverdale. The district also includes the premium wine grape growing regions of Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, and Dry Creek Valley. The Geysers, Lake Sonoma, and much of the Russian River also reside in the 4th district
• District 5: The 5th Supervisorial District encompasses the west county including the entire Sonoma County coast, the lower Russian River area, Sebastopol and the west and southwest Santa Rosa areas extending into Highway 101.

In accordance with federal and state law, the Commission and Board must draw district lines pursuant to the following criteria, which are listed in order of priority:

Federal Law

• Equal Population (based on total population of residents as determined by the most recent Federal decennial Census and adjusted by the State to reassign incarcerated persons to the last known place of residence)
• Federal Voting Rights Act
• No Racial Gerrymandering

California Law

1. Geographically contiguous (areas that meet only at the points of adjoining corners are not contiguous. Areas that are separated by water and not connected by a bridge, tunnel, or ferry service are not contiguous.
2. Geographic integrity of any neighborhood or “community of interest” shall be respected in a manner that minimizes its division
3. Geographic integrity of a city or census designated place shall be respected in a manner that minimizes its division
4. Easily identifiable boundaries that follow natural or artificial barriers (rivers, highways, rail lines, etc.) and streets
5. Geographical compactness, meaning not bypassing one group of people to reach another group of people

In addition to these, the Commission and Board may also consider other traditional redistricting criteria. However, districts shall not be drawn for purposes of favoring or discriminating against an incumbent, political candidate, or political party.

Sonoma County is reaching out to local media to publicize the redistricting process. Also, we are making a good faith effort to notify community groups of various kinds about the redistricting process. Persons who require accommodation for any audio, visual or other disability or language interpretation in order to review redistricting materials or to participate in a public hearing per the American Disabilities Act (ADA), may obtain assistance by requesting such accommodation in writing to redistricting2021@sonoma-county.org.

Sonoma County is notifying the public about redistricting hearings, posting maps online before adoption, and creating a dedicated web page for all relevant information about the redistricting process. Please continue checking this website for more information and resources.

1. Provide comment and testimony during the redistricting process in 2021.
2. Stay tuned for updates on redistricting in Sonoma County posted at sonomacounty.ca.gov/redistricting.
3. Draw and submit a map using the public mapping tools provided on the Draft Maps page.

These are standard categories included in the Census. Not all of the categories are relevant for creating district maps. Acronyms include:

• NH: Non-Hispanic
• VAP: Voting age population
• CVAP: Citizen Voting Age Population
• CVRA: California Voting Rights Act
• NDC: National Demographics Corporation (the firm hired by the County to create the maps)

No. You can draw boundaries for just the district where your neighborhood is, or participate in map drawing for any part of the County

Yes, you may submit more than one map. Please draw as many maps as you like. We suggest you submit only your top 2-3 preferred maps to assist the Commission and Board in focusing on the map that best represents your community; however, there is no limit.

After you submit your map, the demographic consultants will generate the population and other demographic details for your proposed map. Maps can be viewed on the Draft Maps page.

Once submitted, maps are considered public records.

There are a number of online publications and guides to districting. You can start with this one from MALDEF and the NAACP, or this (long) one from the Brennan Center, this one from the League of Women Voters, or these FAQs from the California Independent Redistricting Commission.

While the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will make the ultimate decision, the Advisory Redistricting Commission (ARC) was formed to advise and assist the Board with redrawing supervisorial district boundaries.