Below are helpful frequently asked questions about the process. If you have additional questions, please e-mail redistricting@countyofsb.org.
Given that the mapping tools were only recently updated with the official population data, any maps submitted using the estimated population data may not be population balanced according to the official population data, even if they appeared to be so according to the estimated population data.
If you submitted a CSV file or paper map, you can send an email seeking confirmation that it is indeed balanced.
If you submitted through DistrictR or MOR ID, you can open the Plan Summary Table to see if your map is actually balanced. If the far right column says “Yes,” then you do not need to modify your original submission to make it balanced; it already is. If that column gives a percentage value, then that means your map is not balanced, because that value needs to be less than 10%.
Note: The commission application filing period is now closed.
As of December 14, 2020, an 11-member commission has been appointed following a six-month public process. Thank you to the nearly 200 individuals who applied to serve on the County’s Independent Redistricting Commission.
Steps in the process were as follows:
- The application period closed on Friday, August 21 at 5 p.m. The County Elections Official selected the most qualified applicants based on the criteria and qualifications detailed in the Ordinance, whose names were posted online for 30 days or more for members of the public to view before a random drawing on October 13 to select the initial five commissioners. Through several public meetings and applicant interviews, those five commissioners appointed another five members and one at-large member to complete the commission.
- Initial Five Commissioners Selected by Random Draw
On October 13, the following five commissioners were selected by random draw conducted by the County of Santa Barbara District Attorney.
First District: Laura Katz
Second District: William McClintock
Third District: Norman Bradley
Fourth District: Cary Gray
Fifth District: Glenn Morris - The five randomly selected commissioners met publicly several times between October 22 and December 14 to select six more commissioners from the pool of qualified applicants to form a commission of 11 members.
- Final Six Commissioners Selected by Initial Five Commissioners
On December 14, the following six commissioners were selected by the initial five commissioners of the County of Santa Barbara Independent Redistricting Commission.
First District: Karen Twibell
Second District: Megan Turley
Third District: James Hudley
Fourth District: Lata Murti
Fifth District: Jannet Rios
Member At Large: Benjamin Olmedo
Current Seated Commissioners (as of 10/14/2021)
The following reflects the current commission with vacancies filled as needed from the County Elections Official’s list of most qualified applicants.
First District: Cheryl Troksy
First District: Karen Twibell
Second District: William McClintock
Second District: Megan Turley
Third District: Norman “Douglas” Bradley
Third District: Kevin Kaseff
Fourth District: James Bray
Fourth District; Amanda Ochoa
Fifth District: Glenn Morris
Fifth District: Michael Hartman
Member At Large: Jannet Rios
Note: The commission application filing period is now closed.
As outlined in the County Ordinance No. 5051, Section 2-10.9A, the required qualifications to become a commissioner are as follows:
- Be a resident of Santa Barbara County.
- Be a voter registered in Santa Barbara County.
- Have not changed registered political party affiliation within the past five years immediately preceding the date of appointment to the commission.
- Have voted in Santa Barbara County in at least one of the last three statewide elections immediately preceding applying to the commission.
- Must be eligible under the provisions of Elections Code § 23003(c), or any successor provision governing qualifications of commissioner for independent redistricting commissions.
- No commissioner may have any significant financial interest, as defined in the ordinance, in any company, corporation or other business entity that has donated $500 or more in one year to any candidate for elective office of the County of Santa Barbara, or to any controlled committee, primarily formed committee, general purpose committee, independent expenditure committee that expended funds in support or opposition to a candidate for elective office of the County of Santa Barbara within the last eight years preceding appointment to the commission.
- No commissioner or immediate family member may, within the last eight years preceding appointment to the commission, have contributed $500 or more in one year to any candidate controlled committee, primarily formed committee, or general purpose committee, independent expenditures committee or other political action committee that has expended more than $1,000 in support or in opposition to the election campaign for any elective office of the County of Santa Barbara.
- No commissioner or immediate family member may, within the last eight years preceding appointment to the commission, have been a board member, officer, paid or volunteer staff of, or had a significant influence on the actions or decisions of a political committee required to register with the California Secretary of State, which expended funds in excess of $500 in support or opposition to a candidate for any elective office of the County of Santa Barbara, including member communications.
In addition, the following criteria was taken into account:
- Experience that demonstrates analytical skills relevant to the redistricting process and voting rights, and ability to comprehend and apply the applicable state and federal legal requirements.
- Experience that demonstrates an ability to be impartial.
- Experience that demonstrates an appreciation for the geographic and cultural diversity of Santa Barbara County.
If selected to serve on the commission, a commissioner may not do the following:
- While serving on the commission, endorse, work for, volunteer for, or make a campaign contribution to, a candidate for any county elective office.
- Be a candidate for an elective county office for 10 years commencing with the date of his or her appointment to the commission.
- For four years commencing with the date of his or her appointment to the commission:
- Accept an appointment to any county office, board or commission.
- Accept employment as a staff member of, or consultant to, an elected county official or candidate for county elective office.
- In their personal capacity, receive a noncompetitively bid contract with the county.
- Register as a lobbyist for the county.
In the November 2018 Statewide General Election, Santa Barbara County voters approved Measure G (County Code Section 2-10.9A) that establishes an 11-person Citizens’ Independent Redistricting Commission to adjust the boundaries of the county supervisorial districts through an open and transparent process in accordance with federal and state criteria.
The commission is tasked with establishing the electoral district boundaries in Santa Barbara County for the upcoming decade using the 2020 federal census data, received in late September 2021.
The incorporated areas in Santa Barbara County are Buellton, Carpinteria, Goleta, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and Solvang. All other areas are unincorporated, including Montecito, Summerland, Eastern Goleta Valley (“Noleta”), Cuyama, Sisquoc, Ballard and Los Olivos in the Santa Ynez Valley, and Vandenberg Village. Vandenberg Space Force Base and US Penitentiary Lompoc are separate federal entities for purposes of the Census, located within Santa Barbara County.
There are a number of online publications and guides to redistricting. 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 this FAQ from the California Independent Redistricting Commission.
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 or on the Interactive Review Map.
Once submitted, maps are considered public records.
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 in focusing on the map that best represents your community; however, there is no limit.
No. You can draw boundaries for just the district where your neighborhood is, or participate in map drawing for any part of the County
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)
- Provide comment and testimony during the redistricting process in 2021.
- Stay tuned for updates on redistricting in Santa Barbara County posted at www.drawsantabarbaracounty.org.
- Draw and submit a map using the public mapping tools provided on the Draw a Map page.
Santa Barbara County is reaching out to local media to publicize the redistricting process. Also, we are making a good faith effort to notifying 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 in advance.
Santa Barbara 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.
In accordance with federal, state, and county law, the Commission must draw district lines pursuant to the following criteria, which are listed in order of priority:
- United States Constitution requirements, including reasonably equal population and a prohibition on racial gerrymandering
- Federal Voting Rights Act
- California Voting Rights Act
- Geographical contiguity, meaning all parts of the district are connected by more than just a point
- Geographic integrity of any neighborhood or “community of interest” shall be respected in a manner that minimizes its division
- Geographic integrity of a city or census designated place shall be respected in a manner that minimizes its division
- Easily identifiable boundaries that follow natural or artificial barriers (rivers, highways, rail lines, etc.) and streets
- Geographical compactness, meaning not bypassing one group of people to reach another group of people
- Topography, other aspects of geography not mentioned above, and cohesiveness of territory
In additional to these, the Commission may also consider other traditional redistricting criteria.
The Commission, however, is prohibited from considering the residence of any incumbent or political candidate and districts shall not be drawn for purposes of favoring or discriminating against an incumbents, political candidate, or political party.
You can find a map of the County’s current supervisorial districts here.
Redistricting determines which neighborhoods and communities are grouped together into a district for purposes of electing a Supervisor to the County Board of Supervisors (there are five total). The Independent Commission will seek input in selecting the next district map for our supervisorial districts. You have an opportunity to share with the Commission how you think district boundaries should be drawn to best represent your community.
To find out more about how the process works, contact redistricting@countyofsb.org.
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.
If you submitted a CSV file that you got using Dave’s Redistricting App, make sure that your Census field was set to “Total Pop (Adj) 2020”, redraw your map, get a new CSV file, and resubmit that by email.
If you submitted a map using MOR or a paper map, please resubmit using the updated versions now posted on the Draw a Map page.
If you submitted a map using DistrictR, you must start a new drawing by clicking the purple button “built out of 2020 blocks”; if you click on your original version that you made with the estimated data and try to edit that, it will not adjust for the new official data, but continue to use the estimated data.
If you would like to use your original DistrictR version as a template, you can have that open in another tab and try to do your best to replicate it as you make a new drawing. Once you are done, make sure to select “Share Now” to save it to the Public Gallery; drafts are not shared with the Commission.
Please submit your revisions by November 8th; after that date, submitted maps that are not population balanced will be flagged as nonviable. All newly/re-submitted maps will be posted in advance of the November 12th meeting.
As long as you submitted your map before the initial deadline of October 18th, your map should have been included for the November 3rd meeting.
However, if you were using DistrictR, it was only included if you selected “Share Now” to save it to the Public Gallery; if you selected “Work in Progress” to save it as a draft, it was not included.
You can check to make sure that your map was included by going to View Draft Maps and opening the Plan Summary Table; then you can check to see if your DistrictR or MOR ID is listed there.
If you submitted a CSV file or paper map, go through the 400s and 600s to check if your map is there, or send an email seeking confirmation.
If you submitted a map after October 18th but before November 8th, it should be included for the next meeting on November 12th.
To find your district commissioner, please visit our Commissioner Biographies page.