Wichita City Council members have approved a new map for the six city council districts, based on numbers from the 2020 Census.
The Council looked over two maps that were submitted by a Commission of Electors that was appointed in July. The two maps adjusted election precincts to provide a deviation of five percent or less between the six districts. The Census numbers had Districts 2 and 3 out of balance.
The two maps were presented to the six District Advisory Boards, and they were divided over which map to recommend. The boards for districts 1, 3 and 5 recommended Map A, and the boards for districts 2, 4 and 6 went with map B.
Council members were also divided. Map B was approved by the Council on a 4-3 vote, with Council members Brandon Johnson, Becky Tuttle and Bryan Frye voting no. Tuttle and Frye were concerned that growth in District 2 would create a greater deviation in the next decade and hurt District 1 as well, so they supported Map A.
