FORT WORTH, Texas — In April, the Fort Worth City Council rejected calls to establish an independent redistricting commission following the release of the 2020 Census in September. Instead, the council decided that its own members will choose the new map, which will include two new council districts.

The discussion surrounding who will redraw district boundaries has been bandied about in council chambers, the city manager’s office and within a task force the city created to address the issue — the group was evenly split on whether to recommend creating an independent body to redraw district lines.

The last citywide election in June that saw six new council members and a new mayor take the reins has given reform-minded residents new hope. While the city missed its opportunity to create an IRC for this go-round, advocates of fair elections now hope the city will form a “hybrid” independent redistricting commission made up of representatives from across the city. The independent body would draw district maps, but the council would still have final approval over the maps.

At a recent council meeting, assistant city manager Fernando Costa said the council could still implement this hybrid option if it chooses. The current schedule calls for the council to have a final map completed in April 2022 to give potential candidates ample time to establish their residency in a particular district before the 2023 election.

Though the task force was not asked to do so, members voted 5-5 on whether to create an IRC for Fort Worth. City staffers said that evenly split vote did not rise to the level of an official recommendation. In its final recommendation to the City Council, the task force included language that calls for the city to revisit creating an IRC after the next census a decade from now.

In his address to City Council on Tuesday, Bruce Miller of Citizens for Independent Redistricting advocated for the modified IRC and addressed flaws in the city’s current plan for redistricting, which allows residents to use complicated software and submit their own maps.

“While it invites already busy council members to participate, past experience shows us that they will not learn the software or spend much time interacting with various communities of interest,” he said.

“While it invites all interested citizens to submit sample maps for consideration, they will be acting alone or in separate neighborhood groups,” he continued. “There is no plan that invites these local map makers to work together to create a cohesive process considering all interests citywide.

“In contrast, under a modified IRC,” Miller posited, “a nonpartisan cadre of qualified citizens will be created with broad representation across all geographic and demographic interest groups. They will hold both local and citywide meetings to gather input before creating an inclusive map for the whole city.”

The impetus for the task force dates back to December 2016, when a Fort Worth Police officer wrestled Jacqueline Craig to the ground in a clear case of excessive use of force. A video of the incident went viral. The city created The Task Force on Race and Culture, which, after 18 months of meetings, work sessions, public comment, and vigorous study, made 22 recommendations on how to ease racial tension in the city and make government work for everyone.

One of the major bullet points promoted by the Race and Culture Task Force was the creation of an IRC. Some on the Council and within the city pushed back on the idea, and the IRC was taken off the table. Yet another task force was created to take its place and charged with creating rules that would prevent gerrymandering, provide opportunities to elect people who reflect Fort Worth’s diverse population and promote education and public participation.

“The Race and Culture Task Force brought to our attention the significant racial inequality and economic disparity in Fort Worth,” Miller told the council. “If we want to seriously address these issues citywide, and also improve race relations in Fort Worth, the council will create a modified IRC now, when we go from eight to 10 districts, instead of kicking the can down the road as has happened so often.”

As of now, neither the mayor nor council has placed the modified IRC on the council’s agenda.

Historically, redistricting has been a partisan bloodsport with a long tradition of racial discrimination and gerrymandering. As a recent Fort Worth Star-Telegram article pointed out, Latinos represent a third of the population but only have one council seat.

“Those who favor an independent redistricting process are particularly concerned about Hispanic representation,” the article reads. “Hispanics make up around 35% of the city’s population, but District 2, which takes in the city’s majority Hispanic Northside, has been the only council district to have a Hispanic representative.

“Black representation has been a sign of hope for some that things are changing,” the story continues. “Making up around 19% of the population, there are three Black council members. But their representation isn’t guaranteed; advocates are concerned it could change if redistricting isn’t done mindfully.

In District 9, for example, 57% of the population is Hispanic, but thanks to low turnout among Hispanic voters, that district has always been represented by white council members — despite only 35% of the population being white.

A joint workshop between members of the Redistricting Task Force and the City Council is scheduled for Oct. 5. That could represent the last chance to include independent voices in the electoral map drawing process.

Miller told Spectrum News 1 he believes there’s an “outside chance” the city will pivot toward the modified IRC. He pointed out that three recently elected council members campaigned in favor of the idea — though one of them, Chris Nettles, who represents District 8, said he still favored council approval of the final draft.

“I think that that is the last Hail Mary,” Miller said of Oct. 5. “The whole redistricting task force, including the five people who spoke in favor of it, will have an opportunity to speak again.”