New Orleans Council Redistricting Process
It's time once again for the New Orleans City Council to ensure that all five council districts are substantially equal in population based on the latest 2020 Census.
To establish a fair and impartial process, the Council has contracted with FLO Analytics, an experienced team of demographers, subject matter experts, and Geographic Information System (GIS) professionals to review all available data and develop draft redistricting maps for public input, and Council consideration and approval.
New District Maps - Effective January 2026
Q&A
What is redistricting?
Redistricting is the process of drawing electoral boundaries that takes place on state and local levels every ten years directly following the release of new United States Census data.
Section 3-103(2) of New Orleans' Home Rule Charter requires that the City Council redistrict itself within six months after the updated U.S. Census population numbers for New Orleans are released. This year, the final redistricting maps must be adopted by the Council no later than March 16.
Why does City Council redistricting matter?
Redistricting determines which neighborhoods and communities are grouped together into a district for purposes of electing a member of the City Council. Redistricting also helps ensure that one neighborhood does not have a significantly higher number of voters than another district.
What criteria will the redistricting team use when drawing district lines?
Redistricting must be done in compliance with all local, state, and federal laws, including the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. Districts must be “population balanced”.
To the extent feasible, district lines will be adopted using the following criteria:
- Geographically contiguous districts (each district should share a common border with the next),
- Respect for the geographic integrity of local neighborhoods or communities in a manner that minimizes their division, if possible, in light of the applicable legal criteria,
- Easily identifiable boundaries that follow natural or artificial barriers (rivers, streets, highways, rail lines, etc.),
- Geographic compactness, and
- Boundaries will not be drawn for purposes of favoring or discriminating against a political party.
How will our redistricting team notify the citizens of New Orleans about the process?
The City Council has created the Redistricting Engagement Portal and will post announcements, events, maps, and other relevant information to this dedicated redistricting web page. The City Council will also provide public notices prior to key steps in the redistricting process.
To keep the public informed, the Council will:
- Reach out to local media to publicize each step of the redistricting process.
- Send notifications to community groups of all kinds in each district including neighborhood organizations, churches, etc.
- Invite the public to three virtual City Council hearings where members will be updated on the redistricting process.
- Invite the public to watch the live stream of the virtual citywide informational meetings and virtual meetings in each district.
- Post maps online before adoption and leave the comment email and portal open until March 6, 2022.