Cleveland City Council will host three public forums next week to get citizen input on its once-in-a-decade mandatory ward redistricting, as some members advocate for changing the process to avoid losing seats.
As city council works with a consultant to redraw ward boundaries by the end of this year, President Blaine Griffin said he wants the public to tell council members what’s important to them when it comes to representation.
"This has never been done before. I'm trying to do something new," Griffin said. "I really want this to be a process that is transparent and that nobody could say this was done in a vacuum."
Council must redistrict once every decade, per the city’s charter. Based on population loss, the city will lose two of its 17 ward seats.
Griffin said wards on Cleveland's West Side, which include neighborhoods like West Park and Bellaire–Puritas, have "very stabilized" populations, which leaves "very little wiggle room" for adjustment. Inner ring neighborhoods, particularly on the East Side, have experienced more population loss.
Council will still have to juggle population with geographic area, Griffin said, but leadership is bound to certain parameters, such as representing about 25,000 people per ward, plus or minus 5%. The maps will also aim to keep neighborhoods as whole as possible.
Some council members are not happy with the redistricting process, which they said will increase workloads with minimal savings to taxpayers.
"The hours and money that goes into this process, I think, is frankly wasteful," said Councilmember Kris Harsh, whose Ward 13 includes Old Brooklyn and parts of the Stockyard neighborhoods.
Council's annual budget makes up less than 2% of the city's general revenue fund. The redistricting process would eliminate two council member positions and two aides.
"We will all have to take on more work as a response as a result of there being fewer of us, it could actually eat into the amount of time that we have to take to be responsive to our constituents and actually be a net loss for the people in the city," Harsh said.
Some, including Harsh and Councilmembers Anthony Hairston and Kevin Bishop, proposed exploring a change to the redistricting charter rule through a ballot measure in 2026.
The deadline for any such measure this year has passed.
The maps will not be available for review by the public at the upcoming input sessions. Councilmember Rebecca Maurer suggested the body return to the public once the maps are ready, but Griffin said he is opting for a proactive approach.
"I'll be honest with you: Nobody's going to be happy at the end of the day, especially the public, because the public has an affinity towards certain council people," he said.
The public input sessions will be held:
- Tuesday, 10/15 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Jerry Sue Thornton Center, 2500 E. 22nd St.
- Wednesday, 10/16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Glenville Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center, 680 East 113th St.
- Thursday, 10/17 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Estabrook Neighborhood Resource & Recreation Center, 4125 Fulton Rd.
Griffin said he expects the maps to be complete by the end of the year. All council seats are up for election in November 2025.
