Fourteen people will serve on the Commission for a ten-year term. One person on the Commission will be a student. Most of the Commission’s work will be during its first year when they draw the district boundaries.
How the process works
Panel selects the 60 most qualified Commission applicants
Each Council Member can strike one application from the qualified pool
City Auditor randomly selects 8 Commissioners from the qualified pool
Commissioners choose 6 more applicants from the qualified pool
14 Commissioners draw districts
There’s no other opportunity to make as big a difference in Austin as with the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.
Selection Process
The Applicant Review Panel will select the 60 most qualified applicants for the Commission. The Panel will select applicants based on their analytical skills, ability to be impartial, and appreciation for Austin’s diversity. Each member of City Council can strike one of the applicants from the most qualified pool. Council members do not need to give a reason for a strike.
During a public meeting, the City Auditor will randomly select eight names from the most qualified pool. These eight people will serve on the Commission. The first eight commissioners will select six more people from the pool to ensure the Commission reflects the diversity of Austin. There will be a total of fourteen members on the Commission.
Commission’s Role
The Commission will decide on the new boundaries through an open and transparent process with many opportunities for public input.
To draw the district boundaries, commissioners will get input from residents throughout the process
Hold a public meeting in each district
Come up with an initial draft of the boundaries
Hold four more public meetings
Propose final boundaries
Hold two more public meetings
Vote on final boundaries
Eligibility
You are eligible to serve on the Commission if:
- you have been registered to vote in Austin for five or more years without interruption;
- you voted in at least three of the last five City of Austin general elections;
- you have no conflicts of interest;
- or you meet the criteria for students below.
If you serve on the Commission, you will be unable to hold certain City positions for a period of time. Make sure to review these conditions before you apply.
Students
One person on the Commission will be a student. If you are a student, you are eligible to serve on the Commission if:
- you are enrolled in a community college or university in Austin;
- you live and are registered to vote in Austin;
- you have no conflicts of interest.
Conditions
If you serve on the Commission, you cannot hold certain City positions for a period of time.
From the date of appointment to the Commission, commissioners are ineligible to:
- hold elective public office for the City of Austin for ten years;
- hold appointive public office for the City of Austin for three years;
- serve as paid staff or a consultant for the City of Austin for three years;
- receive a non-competitive bid contract with the City of Austin for three years.
Check Your Voting History
You must have voted in three of the last five elections to serve on the Commission (unless you are a student).
Runoffs do not count as separate elections. You can count a runoff election if you voted in the runoff but did not vote in the general election. If you voted in the general election, you cannot count a runoff election as a separate election.
Eligible City elections:
- 2018 November general election or December runoff (districts 1, 3, 8)
- 2016 November general election or December runoff (district 10)
- 2014 November general election or December runoff
- 2012 May general election
- 2011 May general election or June runoff
More information about how to check your voting history here.
Conflicts of Interest
You are not eligible to serve on the Commission if you or your spouse/domestic partner have:
Within five years immediately before the application date:
- been appointed to, elected to, or been a candidate for state or city office;
- served as an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a political party or of a candidate’s campaign for state, county, or city office;
- registered as a state or local lobbyist;
- contributed $1,000 or more to candidates for City of Austin in the last City election; or
Within three years immediately before the application date:
- been a paid employee of the City of Austin;
- been paid as a professional or political contractor for the City of Austin or any controlling person of such a contractor.
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Apply Here
Apply between June 1 and September 30, 2020.
Applications Received
