Communities of Interest

What is a Community of Interest (COI)?

A Community of Interest is a population that shares common social and economic interests that live in a geographically definable area. A COI should be included within a single City Council district for purposes of its effective and fair representation as a potential voting block in current or future elections. Such groups include (but are not limited to) groups with cultural or historical bonds, shared economic interests, shared racial, ethnic or religious identities, neighborhoods, school districts, transportation districts, opportunity zones, business improvement districts, communities concerned about environmental hazards, or a shared vision of the future of a community.

Some communities of interest are considered “protected classes” in that they have rights through state or federal civil rights or voting rights laws. Some examples of protected classes in districting would be ethnic and language minorities. There are other potential COI that can also be considered in districting, such as senior citizens, college students, and rural and agricultural communities.

COI does not include relationships with political parties, incumbents, or political candidates.

If you have a community of interest you would like to submit please access the forms below…