Columbus council approves new district maps

Columbus City Council has approved new council district maps adding two new seats to the council after next year’s elections.

Earlier this year, the council approved a move up to become a second class city.

Under Indiana law, second class cities have nine council members instead of the current seven. Six of those will run for seats by geographic district, while three more are at-large seats where voters throughout the city chose their council members.

Council members stressed last night that the decisions on the size of the new districts, as well as their population were made with an eye to meeting state statutes and guidelines, keeping all things as even as possible between the six council districts.

Councilman Tom Dell explained that the new plan keeps all of the precincts intact without precincts split between different council districts. And the plan makes the districts as compact as possible.

Councilman Frank Miller stressed that the new districts would not take effect until after the results of the 2023 city elections and that until then, residents will still be represented by their current council members.

Council voted unanimously to approve the change.