Page last updated on March 5, 2025 at 10:08 am
Recommendation and Report from Commission to Common Council
On September 7, 2022, the Commission unanimously approved of a map proposal contained in its Report and Recommendation of the 2022 Citizens' Redistricting Advisory Commission. On October 6, 2022, the Common Council voted to adopt the Commission's recommendation - 2024 Election District Map.
Overview of Commission
Every decade, two years after the US Census, Indiana Code requires the Common Council to redraw its districts. The Citizens' Redistricting Advisory Commission (CRAC) is an independent, politically balanced body whose purpose is to recommend the new boundaries that divide the city into six council districts.
Residents of the City of Bloomington make up the five-member commission. The Commission is divided by political affiliation; two democrats, two republicans and one independent. PLEASE NOTE: Two members of the Commission are full-time students at Indiana University - Bloomington, one democrat & one republican. See full list of qualifying criteria at the bottom of this page.
Redistricting Process
Federal Requirements
Districts should comply with both U.S. constitutional and federal law. Districts should contain, as nearly as possible, equal populations and should not violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which, among other things, prohibits voting practices that discriminate on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group.
State Requirements
The state of Indiana requires that Bloomington be divided into six voting districts. Districts should be contiguous (except for territory not contiguous to any other part of the city) and reasonably compact. Except for limited circumstances, districts should not cross precinct boundary lines. Districts should contain, as nearly as is possible, equal population.
Statutory Authority: IC 36-4-6-3
Bloomington Requirements
The Commission is tasked with recommending council districts that comply with federal and state laws. Whenever possible, the Commission should avoid recommending districts that divide communities of interest including, but not limited to, political subdivisions, neighborhoods, school districts and historic districts. Where it does not negatively impact all other criteria, districts should be drawn to promote political competition.
Once its work is complete, the Commission will issue its recommended map to the Common Council with descriptions of council districts and a report that explains how the recommended districts comply with federal, state and local requirements. Approval of recommended council districts, including a map and accompanying report, by the Commission requires an affirmative vote from at least two-thirds of serving commissioners.
Statutory Authority: Bloomington Municipal Code 2.12.130
Resources and Reference Materials
Districtr - District Map Creation Tool
Downloadable and Printable Maps/Data
- City Council Districts Interactive Map
- City Council Districts PDF Maps
- Voting Precincts Only
- Voting Precincts with Grey Incorporated Area and Population
2022 Redistricting
2022 redistricting map submissions to the Commission are now closed.
Public Submissions
Letter to Commission
Map 1: Withdrawn
Map 2: https://districtr.org/plan/131567
Map 3: https://districtr.org/plan/134902
Map 4: https://districtr.org/plan/134906
Maps 5-8: Withdrawn
Map 12: https://districtr.org/plan/138834
Commissioner Submissions
Map 9: https://districtr.org/plan/137333
Map 10: https://districtr.org/plan/137342
Map 11: https://districtr.org/plan/139342
Maps produced by staff at request of Commissioners:
Map 13: https://districtr.org/plan/139430
Map 14: https://districtr.org/plan/139443
Map 15: https://districtr.org/plan/139469
Maps produced by Councilmember Volan:
Map 16: https://districtr.org/plan/140911 (disqualified for > 10% deviation)
Map 17a: https://districtr.org/plan/140916
Map 17b: https://districtr.org/plan/140915
Map 18: https://districtr.org/plan/140910
Demonstration Map 1: https://districtr.org/plan/141717 (disqualified for > 10% deviation)
Compactness Scores of Current Council Districts
District 1 - .067
District 2 - .127
District 3 - .278
District 4 - .208
District 5 - .275
District 6 - .272
Explanation of compactness score calculation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polsby%E2%80%93Popper_test
Meeting Recordings from 2022 Redistricting
- July 8th Meeting, Passcode: d7b!t3Bt
Selection Criteria for membership on Commission
Members:
- Must reside in the City of Bloomington;
- Must be available to attend meetings in person after appointment to the Commission and until the Commission has completed its report and recommendation (exact meeting frequency, dates, and times will be determined by the Commission once members are appointed);
- Must not be a current public office holder;
- Must not be an employee for an elected official;
- Must not work for the City of Bloomington;
- Must not have contributed a cumulative total of $2,000 or more to any political candidate(s) within five years or be registered with the Indiana Lobby Registration commission; and
- Must not be immediate family members of any excluded person.
The commission will meet at least every other month and members will serve without compensation. Because of the time-limited nature of its purpose, the term of the Commissioners is limited to two years from the date of its formation, following a federal decennial Census.
Contact Information: