Board of County Commissioners Confirmed Group to ‘Draw The Line for Equal Representation’ with new Census Data

Orange County, Fla. – Every 10 years the Florida Constitution and the Orange County Charter calls for a reconfiguration of political boundaries. As the latest census was completed by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2020, Orange County must complete its decennial redistricting process by March 2022.

The goal of redistricting is to readjust the population between commission districts so that no Orange County Commissioner is representing substantially more individual residents than the other commissioners. Redistricting is accomplished by adjusting the boundaries of the County’s six commission districts to account for population growth.

On Tuesday, the Board of County Commissioners confirmed a group of 15 community members who will serve on the Advisory Committee for Redistricting (ACR). The ACR is tasked with reviewing the 2020 Census data, creating and analyzing proposed plans for adjusting the commission district boundaries, and ultimately providing recommended commission district boundary adjustments to the Board of County Commissioners for its review and consideration by January 14, 2022.

Advisory Committee for Redistricting:

  • Hector “Tico” Perez (Co-Chair)
  • Camille Evans (Co-Chair)
  • Garry Jones
  • Ruthanne Connor King
  • Zach Hoover
  • Joe Kilsheimer
  • Jason Mellon
  • Mark Arias
  • Thomas Callan
  • Jimmy Auffant
  • Julio Rocha
  • Wes Hodge
  • Kelly Semrad
  • Virginia Whittington
  • Homer L. Hartage

“Orange County has placed a high priority on community input and public engagement throughout this process,” said Manager of Neighborhood Services Jason Reynolds. “We strongly encourage residents to participate in public meetings and also use a new online web tool that will allow them to try adjusting the commission boundaries themselves.”

The ACR will have at least nine public meetings before making recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners for their consideration and eventual adoption.

For more information about Redistricting and answers to your most frequently asked questions, visit:  www.ocfl.net/Redistricting.

About Orange County Government: Orange County Government strives to serve its residents and guests with integrity, honesty, fairness, and professionalism. Located in Central Florida, Orange County includes 13 municipalities and is home to world-famous theme parks, one of the nation’s largest convention centers, and a thriving life science research park. Seven elected members make up the Board of County Commissioners, including the Mayor, who is elected countywide. For more information, please visit www.OCFL.net or go to Orange County Government’s social media channels.