For an explanation of the redistricting process, see excerpts from the staff report for the May 10, 2001 Town Council meeting.

State law and federal courts require that the four Town Council electoral districts contain roughly equivalent populations. The equal protection clause of the United States Constitution requires that where electoral districts are used, they must be substantially equal in population so that each person's vote counts about the same.

Municipalities in North Carolina are legally required to perform redistricting every 10 years, following the U.S. decennial census to maintain a population balance among electoral districts. North Carolina general statute 160A-23.1 requires city councils to review the 2000 Census to "determine whether it would be lawful to hold the next election without revising districts to correct population imbalances." Cary's last redistricting was performed in 1991, after the 1990 Census counted Cary's population at 43,461.

Although municipalities are only required to redistrict after a 10-year census, they can voluntarily redistrict between more often under two circumstances - after annexation or after performing a special census.

To keep pace with Cary's rapid population growth, Cary has voluntarily redistricted numerous times. Cary Council districts were originally adopted in 1975, and redistricting has occurred in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1989 and 1991.

Redistricting Goals
The Council approved boundary changes in May 2001 based on the following goals:

• Keep major neighborhoods/developments in single Council districts
• Use existing district boundaries as the starting point for making changes to Council district boundaries
• Projected growth should be considered when establishing district boundaries
• Place older Cary neighborhoods within two or more Council districts
• District boundaries should follow major geographic features such as roads

Legal Guidelines for Redistricting
The guidelines below are derived from State statutes, court rulings, and the Wake County Board of Elections. (Chapter 160A-23 of the N.C. General Statutes has more information on redistricting for cities and towns.

• District size by population - Council districts must be balanced based on district population, not on the number of registered voters. Redistricting for Council districts should be based on an official enumeration of population, such as a special census or Decennial Census, and must be based on the most recent census
• Size of districts - State law and federal courts require that the four Town Council districts contain roughly equivalent populations
• Difference between district sizes - The population difference between the smallest and largest districts must be less than 10% of the ideal district size (where the ideal district size equals the total town population divided by the number of districts)
• District boundaries and precincts - Council district boundaries should generally not split precinct boundaries, in order to lessen voter confusion and conserve government resources. Boundaries of districts should follow some established line of demarcation such as roads
• Residency requirement - Council members must reside within the district from which they are elected
• 10% Rule - In determining whether there is substantial equality in population among the districts, courts routinely apply a "10% rule of thumb." The largest and smallest districts should not, when added together, vary by more than 10% from the ideal, or average, district size