The Charter Laws of the City of Gainesville (Section 2.02) divide the city into four elections districts for the purpose of electing district commissioners to the City Commission. The City Charter also requires adjustment of the borders of Gainesville’s four single-member districts to insure they produce districts that are “equally proportioned in accordance with the State Constitution and the Constitution of the United States.” The Charter requires the City Commission assess the districts “not less frequently than within the second year following each decennial census,” or within two years of each census. The last redistricting for the City of Gainesville occurred in 2022, taking into account data from the 2020 census. In accordance with the City Charter, the City Commission was required to redistrict by 2022, using the information from the 2020 census.
On May 9, 2022, the City Commission considered Agenda Item #210163 Election Districts – Redistricting Based on 2020 Census Data on Second Reading. After City Commission and citizen comment, the City Commission voted unanimously that this matter be adopted on Final Reading (Ordinance), thus updating the city’s districts.