As provided in Neb. RS 17-102, the Council of the City of Wahoo, Nebraska, has the responsibility for establishing not less than two nor more than six wards within the corporate limits of the City of Wahoo, Nebraska, each ward to contain, as nearly as practical, an equal portion of the population. The City Council has established the following goals as a guide for determining the distribution of population between the wards:
(A) Determining one person, one vote distribution of population among wards. This concept shall be defended by limiting the difference in the population between the ward with the smallest population and the ward with the largest population to no more than 10%. The aforenoted deviation shall be determined using the following process:
(1) Divide the total population of the City of Wahoo, Nebraska by the number of wards. This establishes the “ideal ward” population.
(2) Calculate the “absolute deviation” by subtracting the proposed ward population from the “ideal ward” population. This number represents the difference between the “ideal ward” population and the ward's proposed population.
(3) Calculate the “relative deviation” by dividing the “absolute deviation” by the “ideal ward” population for each ward. This number represents the percentage of deviation for a ward from the “ideal ward” population.
(4) Add the absolute deviation for the ward with the smallest population and the absolute deviation for the ward with the largest population and if the sum of these two percentages does not exceed 10%, the goal of one person, one vote shall have been met.
(B) Establishing ward boundaries that are easy to describe to residents (i.e. following streets in a straight line, or following geographical boundaries).
(C) Limiting the number of ballots for other political subdivision elections that must be created per ward.
(D) Obtaining a population of each ward that is as close to the “ideal ward” population as possible.
(Ord. 2076, passed 11-22-2011)