The City Council boundaries are redrawn every 10 years, following the release of new census data. During a public meeting, the City Auditor’s office randomly selected three people to serve on the Applicant Review Panel. A new commission was then chosen to serve from the panel.
The 2021 Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (ICRC) is a diverse group of Austin residents in experience, age, and race/ethnicity. Some of the 14 commissioners come with engineering and tech backgrounds, others are from the journalism world, while a few are educators or come from the government and public affairs sector. There is also a lawyer, a small business owner, a pastor, and an Army veteran in the mix. The ICRC not only reflects the diversity of Austin but also ensures all 10 city districts are represented on the board.
As part of the redistricting process, Austin residents shared their voices with the ICRC at 17 public forums, submitted 60 proposed maps, sent 168 emails, and left nine voice messages. All were considered within the context of 2020 Census data, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and the Austin City Charter for the final draft of the new city council maps.
The City Council district boundaries were defined on Nov. 1, 2021, and are in effect through 2031. Further modifications are limited to annexation and disannexation actions.
For a comprehensive description of all districts see the Final Report - PDF (Español | Tiếng Việt | 简体中文).
- Find your district.
- Download the district map. (PDF)
- View 2013 map. (PDF)
- View current city council members.
- Learn more about the redistricting process.
2021 ICRC
To contact an individual commissioner, email the full commission at icrc.commissioners@austintexas.gov.
District 1
Total Population: 94,010 (deviation: -2.26%)
Racial/Ethnic Population Percentages:
- Non-Hispanic White: 29.5%
- Hispanic: 39.4%
- Black: 22.4%
- Asian: 8.8%
- Errol L. Hardin, Commissioner
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Hardin is a native Austinite who attended Austin public schools and graduated from Reagan High School. He is a former Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Track and Field Coach and is a founding member of the Austin Striders Track Club. Hardin also swam for the East Austin Givens Park swim team, which helped to integrate the Austin Parks and Recreation Citywide swim meet held at Deep Eddy Pool in West Austin during 1964-68.He has authored two fictional works with the purpose of giving voice and visibility to the African American experience and contributing to the tapestry of world literature. Hardin completed doctoral studies in education-organizational leadership and earned a master’s degree in Christian studies – pastoral ministry from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, and a bachelor’s degree in business management from Concordia University in Austin.
He has worked in human resources management in the government sector for 21 years, as well as for Motorola Semiconductors for 20 years. Hardin also served on the Board of Directors for Austin Habitat for Humanity (1997-2001); served as the chair of the Texas State Human Resources Association (TSHRA), and currently serves on the board of directors of Foundations for the Homeless.
- Selina Yee, Commissioner
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Yee grew up as a child and great-grandchild of immigrants in Lake Providence, a northeastern Louisiana town. She studied architecture, sociology, and cultural studies at Tulane University. When she moved to Austin in 2013, she parlayed publishing, media, marketing, and advertising experience gained in New York City into a career in MarTech. She has volunteered consistently since 2000 with causes related to mental health; disaster relief; and financial, residential, and educational inequity. She completed Austin’s CityWorks Academy in 2019 to better understand how to leverage her passion and commitment for effecting change.
Yee’s personal experiences have informed her understanding of how laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act and Jim Crow can have a lasting impact across generations. Serving on the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission has been an honor for her and she hopes to be able to contribute to Austin’s sense of community and agency for years to come.
An avid pool player and plant mom, some of her favorite activities in District 1 include jogging at the Boggy Creek, Walnut Creek, and Little Walnut Creek Greenbelts or in her neighborhood of North Acres, where she lives a mile away from her mother and brother, checking out an outdoor movie at Community First Village, and listening to music at Skylark Lounge.
District 2
Total Population: 98,165 (deviation: +2.06%)
Racial/Ethnic Population Percentages:
- Non-Hispanic White: 23.7%
- Hispanic: 63.7%
- Black: 9.3%
- Asian: 3.3%
- Sara Inés Calderón, Commissioner
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Calderón has lived in South Austin exclusively – first in 2006 as a reporter for ¡ahora sí! at the Austin American-Statesman – and then in 2014, as a resident of District 2, to pursue a career in software engineering. Since coming back she’s made Austin her permanent home and has worked at various tech startups in town, as well as community and non-profit organizations, such as Women Who Code Austin, to create events and platforms for more women and people of color to consider careers in technology. Most recently Calderón began focusing on her company, Tercera, working with young engineers in a training capacity and pairing them with entrepreneurs to build mobile applications for iOS and Android. Outside of work she enjoys learning about cybersecurity, gardening, and herbal medicine.
She was inspired to submit an application to join the ICRC during the George Floyd protests against police violence in the summer of 2020. The work and passion of the protestors inspired her to do something to combat racial inequality in Austin, one of the most racially segregated cities in the country.
Her favorite thing about living in District 2 is her neighbors and the sense of community tied to the area. Some of her favorite District 2 hot spots include Taquería Arandinas, The Little Darlin’, China Harbor, Mornin’ Donuts, and El Pollo Rico.
District 3
Total Population: 91,533 (deviation: -4.84%)
Racial/Ethnic Population Percentages:
- Non-Hispanic White: 38.7%
- Hispanic: 44.4%
- Black: 10.4%
- Asian: 5.8%
- John McKiernan-Gonzalez, Commissioner
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McKiernan-González was born in New York and grew up in Colombia, Alabama, Mexico, and New Mexico. His father taught math and his mother taught social studies and Spanish. Because he grew up in different places as a child, he wanted a place to settle down and be part of a community. In Chicago, he worked with the United Network of Immigrant and Refugee Rights. In Ann Arbor, he joined a grad-student union. In Austin, he helped Workers Defense Project on their first construction study. Currently, McKiernan-Gonzalez is a history professor at Texas State University in San Marcos. His research and teaching at Texas State center on the intersection of community social movements, migration, racial inequality, and public health policies in the United States, focused mostly but not entirely on 20th century Mexican American and Latina/o history.
District 3 has been a long-standing residence and a gateway neighborhood for working-class families and communities of color, according to McKiernan-Gonzalez. He says his neighborhood has been inter-ethnic since the beginning and racial and economic diversity has too often been treated as a problem, and not as a resource for the City. Along with many other people, the district's threat to close smaller majority-minority schools pushed him to get more involved in elections. He is a PTA member, union member, and soccer player, and was a school board candidate for District 2 in 2020.
- Nancy Palma, Commissioner
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The majority of Palma's career has been in renewable energy finance. She moved to Austin in 2009 to attend the McCombs School of Business and earned an MBA in 2011. Eager to stay in Austin after graduation, she accepted a job with a solar company that had recently opened an office in Austin and has called the City home ever since. Her current position is in the investments group at RWE Renewables. She was drawn to purchasing a home in District 3 in 2013, because of both the rich artist presence and strong Hispanic identity. "It felt like an area that embraced community and creativity," she said. "I love my home and my neighborhood and can honestly not imagine living anywhere else." Her favorite places and people are nearby, and she rarely finds herself venturing more than a few miles from home.
District 4
Total Population: 94,936 (deviation: -1.30%)
Racial/Ethnic Population Percentages:
- Non-Hispanic White: 25.6%
- Hispanic 59.2%
- Black: 10.4%
- Asian: 4.6%
- Sterling Lands II, Commissioner
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Lands, a senior pastor of Greater Calvary Bible Church, is a civil rights and community activist, youth advocate, and author. He participated in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s; has been active in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Operation Push; and is a member of the Warrior Gospel Band. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Lands has a doctorate of divinity degree from Master’s International School of Divinity. He also has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Southern University School of Engineering in Baton Rouge.
Lands moved to Austin in the fall of 1984 where he continued his crusade for justice, quality education, and equity for African Americans In 2000, he founded the Eastside Social Action Coalition, which is just one of numerous coalitions he spearheaded and that engages in protests for equal rights.
District 5
Total Population: 97,457 (deviation: +1.32%)
Racial/Ethnic Population Percentages:
- Non-Hispanic White: 54.7%
- Hispanic: 31.3%
- Black: 6.6%
- Asian: 6.0%
- Prabhu Kannan, Commissioner
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Kannan has over 20 years of experience leading teams and influencing meaningful change. He is passionate about giving back to the community and bringing together people and technology to deliver solutions and services to help others. A motorcycle enthusiast and a fan of the outdoors, he loves camping, spending time with family, and is always equipped with a camera to capture life’s moments.
Some of the things Kannan likes to do in District 5 include attending events at the Zach Theatre, Long Center, or Auditorium Shores; hitting the Barton Creek Greenbelt early for a hike with friends, family, and pups; grabbing tacos at one of the local triple T’s – Trippys, Torchy’s, or Taco Deli; chilling at Barton Springs Pool; going to Cosmic or Merit for coffee; snapping a picture with the Greetings From Austin mural; and visiting South Congress and South First streets when they have great events showcasing the best of Austin artists, jewelry designers, and craftsmen.
District 6
Total Population: 95,409 (deviation: -0.81%)
Racial/Ethnic Population Percentages:
- Non-Hispanic White: 46.7%
- Hispanic: 16.6%
- Black: 7.1%
- Asian: 28.4%
- Gene Schneider, Commissioner
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Schneider retired to Austin in 2008 after a 44-year career in public education, primarily as a community college instructor and administrator in Kansas, Colorado, and Arkansas, with additional teaching experience in Missouri and Minnesota. He earned a doctorate in higher education administrator from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, a master’s in English from Washington University/St. Louis, and a bachelor’s in philosophy/English from St. Louis University. He and his wife Kathy served as U.S. Peace Corps volunteers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, East Africa, shortly after they married in 1965.Since arriving in Austin, Schneider and his wife have been active in many community education and service organizations, striving to achieve access, equity, opportunity, and justice for all residents. He considers serving as an ICRC commissioner to be a unique opportunity to further those causes and believes that knowledge and accurate information are among the most critical tools for reaching those goals.
Schneider has three adult sons and six grandsons living in Austin and Seattle.
District 7
Total Population: 95,077 (deviation: -1.15%)
Racial/Ethnic Population Percentages:
- Non-Hispanic White: 54.2%
- Hispanic: 22.9%
- Black: 9.4%
- Asian: 12.3%
- Camellia Falcon, Commissioner
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Falcon works for equality and the dignity of life in her profession and personal endeavors. She owns Codices Consulting, a firm that advises organizations on their diversity programs and strategies. Her 20+ year career that has spanned the United States and international countries, and public and private entities, has focused on work that aligns with her personal values. During the pandemic, Falcon started studying the intersection of technology and community with several technology leaders across the U.S. She studied engineering at Princeton and Public Policy at the University of Texas LBJ School. She is a member of the Austin Junior League, serves on the Princeton Club of Austin Board and the St. Austin School Board, and finds joy in the relationships she has with her adopted siblings.
- Christina Puentes, Chair
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Puentes has lived in Austin since 2010. She is a proud alumna of the University of Texas at Austin, holding a bachelor’s degree and completing a master’s degree in public affairs (MPA) from the school. Currently, she works as a policy analyst for the U.S. Government Accountability Office.Committed to public service, Puentes has been active in community coalitions and volunteering with local organizations since college. She is also a member of the inaugural cohort of the LBJ Women’s Campaign School. As a former teacher at LBJ Early College High School and daughter of immigrants, she advocates for equity and accountability in K-12 education.
Some of her favorite activities in District 7 include dining along Burnet Road and The Domain, touring the breweries along Braker Lane by the Q2 Stadium, and trekking through Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park with her husband and their dogs.
District 8
Total Population: 99,175 (deviation: +3.11%)
Racial/Ethnic Population Percentages:
- Non-Hispanic White: 64.0%
- Hispanic: 18.6%
- Black: 3.4%
- Asian:12.1%
- Joshua Blank, Commissioner
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Blank has lived in Austin since 2009. He is the research director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin and a principal partner of Strategic Research Associates, LLC (SRA). He has a doctoral degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Boston University. He specializes in all phases of attitude research, including research design, data collection, analysis, and reporting. He is an expert in both quantitative and qualitative research methods, including survey research, experimental design, focus group research, in-depth interviewing, data analysis, and data sciences. He has worked prolifically on attitude research in Texas and the U.S. for a wide range of public and private entities. Blank has also played a primary role in most of the major public statewide polls conducted in Texas since 2011, including the University of Texas/Texas Tribune and Texas Lyceum Polls.
District 9
Total Population: 98,949 (deviation: +2.87%)
Racial/Ethnic Population Percentages:
- Non-Hispanic White: 62.3%
- Hispanic: 16.5%
- Black: 5.0%
- Asian: 15.0%
- Shaina Kambo, Commissioner
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Kambo is a resident of District 9 who is serving as the student representative of the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. She is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in geography and sustainability studies. She is also a graduate of Austin Community College (ACC) where she served in the ACC Student Government and developed a love for public service. She is passionate about facilitating fair redistricting procedures that will help to serve the unique needs of Austin’s diverse and vibrant communities.
Some of her favorite activities in District 9 include attending events on the UT campus, taking short bus rides downtown to the Central Library and TownLake YMCA, and spending time with family and friends by Lady Bird Lake either kayaking or traversing the neighboring Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail.
District 10
Total Population: 97,196 (deviation: +1.05%)
Racial/Ethnic Population Percentages:
- Non-Hispanic White: 69.9%
- Hispanic: 13.5%
- Black: 3.8%
- Asian: 11.1%
- Erin Dempsey, Commissioner
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Dempsey is an activist, attorney, former small business owner, and mother of two daughters. She spent the first 18 years of her career practicing law in various large U.S. law firms as a commercial real estate attorney. In 2017, she co-founded Bess & George, a women’s lifestyle and clothing company based in Austin. In April of 2021, she was accepted as one of 70 women leaders comprising the 2021 Cohort of the LBJ Women’s Campaign School through the University of Texas at Austin. Dempsey continues to use her legal degree and business background to support charitable causes that are close to her heart, such as the Head for the Cure Foundation which supports the brain cancer community. She also works to support and promote voting rights in the State of Texas and applied to the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission in order to further serve her community and participate in the redistricting process.
Some of her favorite activities in District 10 include running around and paddle boarding on Lady Bird Lake; walking to music festivals in Zilker Park, especially ACL; meeting friends and sitting outside at all of the local cafes, coffee places, and restaurants; and attending neighborhood, community, and school events held throughout the year.
- Luis Gonzalez, Vice Chair
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Originally from Hebbronville in south Texas, Gonzalez has called Austin his home for the past 12 years. Professionally, he has eight years of administrative and project management experience. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. Following his graduation from the Moody College of Communication in 2013, Gonzalez joined UT-Austin as a full-time employee with the School of Architecture. He quickly climbed the administrative ladder, landing roles such as senior administrative associate with the Office of the President and administrative manager with Dell Medical School. More recently, he was executive assistant to the CEO at Fluence, the leading lighting solutions provider for controlled environment commercial crop production. Through admission to the ATXelerator, a local political training program that identifies and prepares future-focused leaders for public service, Gonzalez learned of the importance and consequences of the redistricting process. After applying to the ICRC, he was one of the first eight commissioners selected. He currently lives in District 10 with his partner Robert Trent and their adopted Great Pyrenees, Appa.