Title
To approve the General Registrar to apply to the State Board of Elections for a waiver to administer certain precincts as split precincts for elections held in 2021.
Body
WHEREAS, pursuant to section 24.2-307 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, the precincts of counties and cities within the Commonwealth of Virginia “shall be wholly contained within a single congressional district, Senate district, House of Delegates district, and election district used for the election of one or more members of the governing body or school board for the county or city;” and
WHEREAS, section 24.2-307 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, also requires that, in each year ending in one, the governing body of each county and city within the Commonwealth of Virginia establish the boundaries of that county’s or city’s precincts to be consistent with the boundaries of any congressional district, Senate district, House of Delegates district, and local election district that was adopted by the appropriate authority by June 15 of that year; and
WHEREAS, section 24.2-307 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, further provides that if a governing body is unable to establish a precinct with the minimum number of registered voters without splitting the precinct between two or more congressional districts, Senate districts, House of Delegates districts, or local election districts, such governing body shall apply to the State Board of Elections for a waiver to administer a split precinct; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to section 24.2-307 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, “[i]f congressional districts, Senate districts, House of Delegates districts, or local election districts have not been adopted by the appropriate authority by June 15 of a year ending in one, the governing body [responsible for establishing precinct boundaries] may use the congressional districts, Senate districts, House of Delegates districts, or local election districts as such districts existed on June 15 of that year as the basis for establishing the precinct boundaries to be used for the elections to be held in November of that year;” and
WHEREAS, because the City does not reasonably anticipate receiving the requisite 2020 population data from the United States Census Bureau before late August, 2021, the Council of the City of Richmond has concluded that the Council will be “unable to establish [certain precincts] with the minimum number of registered voters without splitting [those precincts] between two or more congressional districts, Senate districts, House of Delegates districts, or local election districts” within the meaning of section 24.2-307 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, and take all steps necessary to establish new polling places consistent with such precincts prior to September 3, 2021, the deadline set by section 24.2-306(A) of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, for making any change in any local election district, precinct, or polling place preceding the November 2, 2021, general election; and
WHEREAS, the Council believes that it is in the best interests of the citizens of the City of Richmond that the Council approve the application of the General Registrar to the State Board of Elections for a waiver to administer certain split precincts for elections held in 2021 in accordance with section 24.2-307 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended;
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND:
That the Council hereby approves the General Registrar of the City of Richmond to apply to the State Board of Elections for a waiver pursuant to section 24.2-307 of the Code of Virginia (1950), as amended, to administer the following 26 precincts, set forth in Chapter 9, Article III of the Code of the City of Richmond (2020), as amended, as split precincts for any elections held during 2021:
1. Precinct 101
2. Precinct 102
3. Precinct 104
4. Precinct 106
5. Precinct 111
6. Precinct 204
7. Precinct 215
8. Precinct 301
9. Precinct 303
10. Precinct 304
11. Precinct 307
12. Precinct 308
13. Precinct 309
14. Precinct 412
15. Precinct 505
16. Precinct 604
17. Precinct 606
18. Precinct 607
19. Precinct 701
20. Precinct 705
21. Precinct 706
22. Precinct 708
23. Precinct 806
24. Precinct 811
25. Precinct 812
26. Precinct 908