ACTION ALERT: The Oakland Independent Redistricting Commission is currently drawing City Council and School Board Districts, which we will be in place for the next decade.    Unfortunately, one of the proposed maps will divide Rockridge! This will dilute our voice, fragment our community, and reduce the effectiveness of our government. We need your help!


Map B keeps Rockridge intact in 1 district: https://bit.ly/3CurrJi
Map D threatens to tear Rockridge apart: https://bit.ly/3o0M0av

How is Redistricting conducted in Oakland? In 2014, Oakland voters approved a ballot measure to establish an independent commission to redraw the lines of the City Council and School Board districts. Previously the City Council had drawn the maps. Under State Law, this Commission must conduct a transparent process and follow specific criteria — one of which is NOT dividing communities of interest (COI). A COI is defined as a geographic area whose population share economic &/or social interests.
RCPC Board has set up an ad-hoc Committee on Redistricting to put together a coherent and organized response. See the letter we submitted here. We need your help!

What can you do?

  1. Attend the Zoom Redistricting Commission meeting on November 10. Each member of the public is allotted two minutes of speaking time. 
  2. Send written comments on the proposed maps to Deputy City Administrator Richard Luna, rluna@oaklandca.gov. Please cc info@rockridge.org.
  3. Join the ad-hoc committee and help us spread the word.  send an email to info@rockridge.org

Example talking points:

  • There are dozens of reasons why Rockridge is a Community of Interest and thus, per the FAIR MAPS Act criteria of minimizing the division of COI’s, Rockridge should not be divided in your adopted maps. 
  • Our neighborhood meets the definition of a community of interest perfectly, as defined by Oakland’s own City Charter. In the Charter it states that the geographic integrity of any local neighborhood or local community of interest shall be respected in a manner that minimizes their division to the extent possible.
  • Rockridge issues are neighborhood-wide. Effective government should ensure that a cohesive community is cohesively represented. 
  • Rockridge has functioned as a single geographical unit for more than 100 years, and our common understanding has allowed us to successfully tackle many issues. 
  • Splitting Rockridge between two Council districts would introduce artificial boundaries and impact the community’s ability to work effectively towards future common goals.
  • Add your own thoughts! But please note that the Commission cannot take any political rationale into consideration so do not refer to elected officials.

Oakland’s Redistricting Commission’s website:https://www.oaklandca.gov/redistricting

The map above shows the boundaries of two proposed districts, B and D, that are currently under consideration. These draft maps are intended to
start the conversation on what new boundaries could look like and how they would impact local communities.