(a) The ward boundaries existing on the date for filing as a candidate for office of a Ward Council member for election at the regular municipal election held in 1979 shall apply to such election. Thereafter, the ward boundaries shall be established by the Council or the Ward Boundary Commission, as appropriate, in a manner that will allow and facilitate the election of Ward Council members as provided in Division (c) of Section 3.01 of this Charter.
(b) There is hereby created a Ward Boundary Commission consisting of five electors of the City to serve overlapping terms of office of four years each, provided that the first members of the Commission under this Charter shall be appointed so that three members serve a term of four years each and two members serve a term of two years each. Members of the Commission shall be appointed by a majority vote of the members of Council. At appointment, no more than two members shall be adherents of the same political party. No more than two electors from any ward shall be members of the Commission and each ward shall be represented.
(Amended 11-6-07)
(c) Following each decennial census, and at least ninety days prior to the date candidates for Ward Council seats must file for office for the second regular municipal election after the decennial census, the Commission shall propose the redivision of the City into four wards of substantially equal population in each ward, by the preparation of an ordinance or resolution, approved as to form by the City Attorney, and file such proposal with the Clerk of Council. The Council shall either pass the ordinance or resolution in the form submitted by the Commission or reject, by a two-thirds vote of the Council, the Commission's proposal within thirty days after it is filed with the Clerk. If the ordinance or resolution is passed by Council, it shall be effective immediately, shall not be subject to veto by the Mayor, but shall be subject to initiative or referendum under this Charter. If the Council shall reject the Commission's proposal the Ward Boundary Commission shall, by a two-thirds vote of its members, make an appropriate redivision of the City's wards within sixty days after the Commission's proposal was filed with the Clerk. Such action by the Commission shall be in the form of an ordinance or resolution, shall be effective immediately, shall not be subject to veto by the Mayor, but shall be subject to initiative or referendum under this Charter.
(d) In addition to the redivision of the City into wards following each decennial census as required by Division (c) of this Section, the Council may, by motion direct the Ward Boundary Commission to redivide the City into four wards in order to provide substantially equal population in each ward, and the procedures set forth in Division (c) of this Section shall apply.
(e) All wards shall be compact and contiguous and shall be bounded, as far as practical, by county lines, streets, alleys, avenues, public grounds, canals, watercourses, municipal boundary lines, or center lines of platted streets or railroads. Redivision of the City into wards shall not terminate or otherwise affect the unexpired terms of Ward Council members, however, at succeeding elections, Ward Council members shall be elected from the wards as reapportioned or re-established under this Section. (Amended 11-2-82)