Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This month, instead of a sending out a typical newsletter, I’m writing to ask for your input. My office is responsible for county redistricting. Redistricting is the process of redrawing established County Commissioner district boundaries to account for changes in population following the U.S. Census, which occurs every ten years. At that time, my office assesses the populations in each district to help ensure each person in the county receives equal representation. (Learn more about how redistricting works.)
Given the population growth of Multnomah County in the last few years, I do expect commissioner districts to change. In light of this, I’m reaching out to you to learn about what you like and don’t like about your (and other) district boundaries and how they might better reflect the communities within each district. (If you aren’t sure which district you’re in, check out this interactive map to locate your district.)
My office has created a short questionnaire you can submit to provide input on the potential impacts of redistricting in your area. You can complete the questionnaire in English, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Spanish or Vietnamese. Or, if you prefer, you can email us an audio or video recording of your answers.
Through these questions, we’re ultimately hoping to learn your thoughts on if the current district boundaries divide your community or keep it together. Your feedback will help us to make decisions during the redistricting process that support community connections. We are not collecting or storing any identifying information.
If you’d like to share your thoughts with me, I would greatly appreciate it! I will accept feedback through October 15, 2021.
Also, if you’re interested in learning more about the redistricting process, check out this FAQ I made about it.
Best,
Jennifer
Helpful COVID-19 Links
- If you would like information on how to stay healthy, slow the spread of coronavirus, or how to report any issues, please visit /novel-coronavirus-covid-19.
- Unfortunately, some communities have experienced acts of racism and xenophobia because of the myths surrounding COVID-19; this county site has information about how to report discrimination and find support.
- If you are at work and your employer does not seem to be following public health directives, you can report that to Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Division.
- This page contains resources to support our communities as we experience the COVID-19 pandemic and get through this together.
- Learn more about disability rights and COVID-19.