Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6B is calling a special meeting next Wednesday, Dec. 1, to provide for discussion of the map released by the DC Council Redistricting Subcommittee last Thursday, Nov. 18 before they voted on it Friday.
ANC 6B commissioners want to open the latest map to public comment, which they say was made impossible by updates to the map made just prior to the subcommittee vote. Commissioners say the Nov. 18th map includes portions of 6B that were not included in previously released “discussion maps”. That means these areas were only added after the opportunity for public comment had ended.
Included were portions south of Pennsylvania Ave SE in two additional ANC 6B single member districts (SMDs): 6B06 and 6B07.
A special call meeting with ANC 6A is scheduled for the following day at 7 p.m. ANC 6A has proposed an alternate plan that includes more of Southwest in Ward 8 and expanding Ward 7 into some neighborhoods currently in Ward 8.
Others, including ANC 6B06 Commissioner Corey Holman, have argued that given voter turn-out in previous elections, the ANC 6A plan would have the effect of maximizing the number of white voters in Ward 8, possibly resulting in representation west of the river.
The final map passed a vote by the council subcommittee at their Nov. 19 meeting. It can be found here. Read the Subcommittee report, including justification for boundary choices, here.
The ANC 6B meeting will be attended by Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen (D). Also invited are DC Council Chairperson Phil Mendelson (D) and the chief of staff for Independent Councilmember Elissa Silverman (D), who chairs the Council Subcommittee on Redistricting and Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray (D).
ANC 6B Chair Brian Ready (6B03) is currently out of town, so the meeting is likely to be chaired by Vice-Chair Steve Holtzman (6B05). Neither represents an affected SMD.
The meeting will be held from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Dec. 1. Details, including the agenda and meeting link can be found here (meeting link also below): https://anc6b.org/meetings/anc-6b-special-call-meeting-on-ward-redistricting-wednesday-december-1-2021/
Meeting links for participation:
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Meeting number: 2317 656 6546
Password: 2RstiF7W3A3
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