Every four years, lines are redrawn in the city of Tampa. Plan Hillsborough is focusing on districts 4, 5, 6 and 7.

TAMPA, Fla. — The Hillsborough County-City planning commission is hosting open house meetings explaining how new district maps could soon change who represents residents on Tampa City Council. This process is called redistricting.

More than 400,000 people live in Tampa. While Yassert Gonzalez with the plan commission said around 5% of people will be impacted by redistricting, some argue that is just enough to heavily impact decisions made here for a community.

Every four years, lines are redrawn in the city of Tampa. Plan Hillsborough is focusing on districts 4, 5, 6 and 7, where council members are elected only by voters within each district.

“The population has become a little unbalanced. For example, Council District 7 has the most population. Council District 5, which is here in East Tampa, has the least. So how do we balance those populations again?” Gonzalez said.

Redrawing lines could change residents’ city council district for voting or running for office. The commission is considering four proposals which could include moving a community, just west of Busch Gardens, from Council District 7 to Council District 5, or moving the Forrest Hills neighborhood from District 7 to District 6 — something some find concerning.

“Forrest Hills wants to stay with Council District 7, but they are in a place where we have to offer them as an option,” Gonzalez said. 

“5% makes a major difference in the communities, and I’m not talking just for the Black community, the Hispanic community or the white community,” Daryl Hych with the Hillsborough Black Chamber of Commerce said.

East Tampa has the largest Black population but not the highest voter turnout. Hych believes that even the smallest shift could make a meaningful difference.

“If they redistrict and they swing it further over into the downtown area, the constituents and the families and the people who have the wealth and the income to live in this area will then begin to have a larger impact on those who are impoverished,” Hych said.

Plan Hillsborough has several opportunities for residents to share their opinions about Tampa’s redistricting.

There will be several open houses from 5-8 p.m. this month, including:

Open House – Tuesday, Jan. 13Open House – Thursday, Jan. 15Open House – Tuesday, Jan. 20Open House – Tuesday, Jan. 27

The planning commission must adopt a new district map by April 1.