Des Moines backtracks on consideration of county-proposed ward map pitting city councilors against each other

The Des Moines City Council took the first step Tuesday night in its redistricting process by voting to send one of three proposed maps to the Polk County Auditor's Office for review.

The maps considered at Tuesday's meeting, all of which were proposed by the city of Des Moines, were a drastic departure from what the city had previously said it planned to consider.

Initially, city staff said the council would consider two maps: one proposed by the county and another that had been developed by city staff.

The city-proposed map did not deviate far from the existing wards, but the county-proposed map would have pitted two city councilors against each other and drastically shifted Des Moines' four wards away from the north, south, east and west quadrants of the city, as they're currently drawn, instead aligning them with the Des Moines school board's district boundaries, according to county officials.

More: These proposed Des Moines City Council boundary map changes could pit incumbents against each other

But when residents walked into Tuesday's meeting, they were presented with three new maps, two of which had never been seen by the public before that night.

"Frankly, I think this meeting is already really ridiculous," said Des Moines resident Bridget Peterson. "The fact that we all came here thinking that certain maps were going to be proposed and then finding out at the last second that they're not is incredibly unorganized."

"You guys issued the news release saying you were going to discuss it. So it's a little disappointing," said Carol Maher, another Des Moines resident. "It sounds a little (like a) backroom dealing to me."

City Manager Scott Sanders backtracked on the city's previous statement, saying the county map was only ever a concept and stressing that it was submitted along with the city's newly drawn precincts but was not being considered.

While city officials say they understood that the county auditor was trying to make the ballot process easier by suggesting the wards align with Des Moines Public School board's district boundaries, city staff's proposals aligned precincts with simpler ballots without going in the county's suggested direction.

Each of the three proposals considered Tuesday put one state lawmaker, one school board member and one council member in every precinct, councilors said.

The precincts, created by the city in accordance with state law, have less than 3,500 people in them and decrease the number of precincts from 88 to 79, according to a city spokesperson.

More, for subscribers, previously: Proposed changes to Des Moines' wards would pit two City Council members against each other in 2023

Council moves forward with map that puts most of downtown in a single ward

Despite the majority of public comment in favor of Plan 2, which would have added a portion of Ward 3 along I-235 to Ward 1, the council voted to move forward with Plan 3, which instead moves a majority of downtown, currently split between Ward 3 and 4, into Ward 3.

While moving the entire East Village neighborhood into Ward 3, Plan 3 would also divide Wards 3 and 4 in a straight line down Southwest 9th Street, where they're currently separated by a more jagged boundary.

City officials argued the change would make the wards easier to describe to constituents.

"Partially, I think that confusion is over the Southwest 9th corridor," said Ward 3 council member Josh Mandelbaum. "I think, in that regard, it's a cleaner map and easier to explain."

Incoming Ward 1 councilwoman Indira Sheumaker told the Des Moines Register that others, including herself, advocated for Plan 2 because they felt it was necessary to keep the downtown region separated to promote economic diversity between the city's wards.

"We felt like concentrating that all into one ward — not only with the money and economic aspect of all the businesses and stuff over there — was going to sort of just change the distribution of that economic concentration ... into one district," Sheumaker said. "We wanted to have the possibility of diversity in other wards, and we thought that (map) eliminated sorts of diversity, economic and otherwise."

Some of those sentiments are being felt at the East Village Neighborhood Association, as its president, Luke Dickens, told the Register he wants the East Village to remain independent of the Downtown neighborhood, which is in Ward 3.

With the East Village being more small business minded, he says it just makes more sense for it to have a different council representative than downtown, saying the two neighborhoods have "different DNA."

"Having a councilperson who represents the south side and the East Village, I think that makes more sense because we have different issues than what Court Avenue is gonna have, or Gateway ... there's a lot of different things," Dickens said.

How the wards would be divided

Ward 1: Under Plan 3, Ward 1 would gain some territory in the Drake Neighborhood, extending from part of University Avenue south to Interstate 235. As a result, Ward 1 would also absorb bot Cheatom and Good Park neighborhoods. Waveland Park would still be divided between Wards 1 and 3 along University Avenue.

Ward 2: Remains unchanged. The boundaries still follow along the northeast side of the Des Moines River heading east along I-235 to East University Avenue.

Ward 3: Loses ground in the Drake, Cheatom Park and Good Park neighborhoods as part of the northern border of Ward 3 now ends along I-235 heading west into Ward 2. Ward 3 would gain all of the East Village, effectively putting all of the city's downtown region in one ward. The eastern ward boundary then follows a straight line down Southwest 9th Street, losing all of Indianola Hills to Ward 4.

Ward 4: Loses the East Village neighborhood with its northwest boundary beginning along East 14th Street with the Capitol East neighborhood. Its western ward boundary would then curve south around the outer portions of the East Village and Downtown neighborhoods and run straight down Southwest 9th Street, gaining the Indianola Hills neighborhood.

What's next

Plan 3 will go to the Polk Auditor's Office, where the county will have 7-10 days to review the plan and offer recommendations, as directed by Iowa Code. The city will then reconvene at a public hearing on Dec. 20 to finalize the map and send its materials to Iowa's Secretary of State's Office, as directed by state law.

After each city in Polk County has finalized its maps, the county will begin its process to re-precinct, which includes redrawing the Polk County Supervisor districts. State law dictates the Legislative Services Agency draws the supervisor boundaries for 39 Iowa counties that require voters to choose a candidate who lives in their district, which includes Polk County.

The county has 90 days to complete its maps after the state approved new congressional and legislative districts on Nov. 4.

Melody Mercado covers Des Moines city government for the Register. Reach her at mmercado@registermedia.com or Twitter @melodymercadotv.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines City Council to send proposed redistricting map to auditor