Ward Realignment Committee

The Ward Realignment Committee is an Ad hoc group responsible for determining the realignment of the City’s wards based on the latest census results. The Committee is appointed once every ten years following the conclusion of the US Decennial census. The next committee will be formed sometime after 2030.

This will be a seven (7) member committee with one representative appointed by each City Council member and 2 appointed by the Mayor.

Purpose & Duties:

Federal Election law requires the review of voting districts after each decennial census. When the City of Cambridge's population increases or decreases per the US Census, the City is required to adjust the ward boundaries to reflect the change in population distribution.

Specific duties include:

• Review current ward definitions
• Review data related to the latest decennial U.S. Census and how the wards may not be incompliance with election law relative to the population distribution
• Discuss ways to adjust the ward boundaries to be compliant and to ensure, as best as possible, wards are compact, and neighborhoods are not subdivided across ward lines
• Recommend to City Council proposed new ward boundaries
• Collect feedback from the City Council and the public; adjust recommendations, if appropriate
• Present final proposal to City Council for enactment

The workgroup must complete the realignment task to allow for new legislation to be in place prior to the next municipal election.