Redistricting is the constitutionally required drawing of voting district boundaries, to be completed after each census. Federal congressional districts, state senate and legislative districts and county and municipal districts are all required to redraw voting district boundaries.

Discussions began in 2025 when the League of Women Voters of Porter County (LWVPC) and the team from Common Cause Indiana agreed on prioritizing an initiative for the City of Valparaiso to adopt an ordinance establishing a citizen-led redistricting commission, whose purpose would be to draw the Valparaiso council district maps.

Several factors motivated us to move forward:

1. In 2016, Valparaiso was one of 25 communities in Indiana whose City Council adopted a resolution supporting comprehensive State of Indiana redistricting reform. Reform included the establishment of a citizen-led commission to draw the lines of the state Senate, state House of Representatives and federal Congressional districts.
2. $50,000 taxpayer dollars will be saved by doing this work ourselves.
3. The cities of Goshen and Bloomington, along with Monroe County, have adopted ordinances establishing citizen-led redistricting commissions, along with the criteria to be used to draw the maps.
4. Increased civic engagement. Map drawing can be done locally!
5. Public involvement in the redistricting process will empower the Valparaiso community by allowing us to elect representatives who represent interests that are important in our lives.

Let’s take the map drawing process out of the hands of the politicians and put it into the hands of the people.

Why now? The team is starting the process now because it gives us time to discuss the redistricting process with the community and solicit input on the criteria for the formation of a citizen-led commission. If residents are receptive, the next step will be to prepare an ordinance establishing the commission. Prior to the completion of the 2030 Census, the commission members will be selected and begin the work of drawing the council district legislative maps.

It is the perfect time for redistricting reform because it is:

• Fair
• Independent
• Provides checks and balances to the people and their government
• Inspirational
• Change for the good that we can adopt NOW
• We can be a model for other municipalities in our state.
• We will be demonstrating good government

On May 15, 2025 LWVPC and Common Cause Indiana hosted a public forum to introduce this initiative to the public. The link to the recording of the public forum is accessible to view below.

Questions may be directed to Valpomaps@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE- July 17, 2025

Valparaiso City Council Member Will Introduce Ordinance to Give City Voters A Voice in Local Redistricting

Valparaiso City Councilwoman Barbara Domer (D-3) announced today she is moving forward with plans to introduce an ordinance for consideration by the Council to create a bipartisan Citizens Redistricting Advisory Commission (CRAC) to draft legislative district maps for the Council’s consideration. Upon approval, Valparaiso will join two other Indiana cities who conduct city council redistricting with the help of a bipartisan team of voters; Bloomington and Goshen.

“After holding a public meeting in May to receive citizen input and gauge public support, I am excited to announce plans to move forward with introducing an ordinance to create a bipartisan citizen redistricting advisory commission for Valparaiso,” said Councilwoman Domer. “My decision to run for City Council was spurred, in part, by my involvement with the City Council redistricting process in 2022, and I firmly believe this is a process that can, and should, be directed by voters, not politicians. I look forward to working with Mayor Costas, my fellow Council members, organizations representing voters and all others who support a voter centric reform to create the building blocks of our Council elections here in Valparaiso.”   

Councilwoman Domer’s efforts were praised by Julia Vaughn, Executive Director of Common Cause Indiana, who helped redistricting activists in Valparaiso create a public mapping process during the 2022 round of redistricting. Vaughn said, “I first met Councilwoman Domer in 2021 during the state and Congressional redistricting process when she was one of the hundreds of local leaders we worked with as part of our Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission demonstration project. She helped organize and promote a local redistricting mapping project for Valpo Council districts in 2022 which resulted in seven maps drawn by citizens – more public input than any other city in the state. It’s so exciting that she used that experience as motivation to run for City Council and is continuing to promote fair maps and responsible redistricting as a public official. I’m looking forward to continuing our work to make the city of Valparaiso the third city in the state to create citizens redistricting advisory commission.” 

Additional information about redistricting can be found on the Valpo Redistricting page of the League of Women Voters of Porter County website (www.lwvporterco.org).