Based on the 2010 census, the ideal population for each of the wards in Anacortes would be 5,259. The population in each ward is:
- Ward 1: 5,397 (deviation of 2.62%)
- Ward 2: 5,577 (deviation of 4.15%)
- Ward 3: 4, 904 (deviation of —6.75%)
Although it would have been possible to balance the population in each ward by splitting an existing voting precinct (Ward 2), the council reckoned that this was not desirable, given that
- The Supreme Court has held that a 10% deviation is acceptable
- The census was only a snapshot in time, and the past trends and future expectations in growth in Anacortes indicate that Ward 3 should expect more growth than other areas in the next 10 years:
In the past ten years, the number of single-family and multi-family units constructed in each ward was:
Ward 1: 290
Ward 2: 439
Ward 3: 629
The estimated additional number of single-family and multi-family units that could be developed by ward are:
Ward 1: 272
Ward 2: 460
Ward 3: 723
Given these trends, which indicate that 50% of the remaining SF/MF homes to be developed lie in Ward 3, the council indicated that it did not support redistricting the wards.