City Adopts New Ward Boundary Maps
June 30, 2022 - The City of Corvallis has adopted a set of new ward boundary maps, capping off a once-per-decade process that adjusts the boundaries of the nine wards in the city. An interactive map displaying the new wards is available online at www.corvallisoregon.gov/mc/page/ward-boundary-maps.
The new ward maps were adopted by the City Council on June 21, following several months of discussion and deliberation. The process of creating new maps is governed by guidelines in the City Charter, focusing on preserving neighborhood groupings, seeking to create compact, regular boundaries, and containing equal populations whenever possible. The process is also informed by state laws that require maps to be free from political bias and to provide equitable voting strength for ethnic minorities or language groups.
The new ward maps were built using the latest population figures compiled in the 2020 Census, which put the city’s population at 59,093. The biggest change was to Ward 4, which had historically contained the entire campus of Oregon State University. Population growth citywide meant that the OSU campus could no longer be contained within a single ward, so small portions of Ward 4 were added to Ward 1 and Ward 2.
Changes for Election 2022
Although the ward maps take effect on July 5, 2022, individual residents will continue to be represented by their existing elected Councilor.
In the November 2022 election, ballots will be printed and distributed using the new ward boundaries. The relatively small number of households that are moving into a new ward will receive ballots that display candidates running for office in their new ward.
The filing period opens August 1 for the November 2022 period. The City is hosting an informational session for prospective candidates interested in running for local elected office in Corvallis. The hybrid session will take place at 6 p.m. Monday, July 25 at the Madison Avenue Meeting Room, 500 SW Madison Ave., and will be livestreamed online. For more information, go to www.corvallisoregon.gov/mc/page/2022-election-information-session.
