THOUSANDS of Newcastle ratepayers may find themselves voting in a new patch at the next local government election as the city's ward boundaries undergo a legally-required redraw.
Elector counts in Wards One and Four are slated to shrink to bring Wards Two and Three closer to their size. If approved, the new boundaries will make Ward Three the city's largest with 31,758 voters.
Ward Four would become the city's smallest ward by voter head count.
The council's four wards each elect three councillors. Under the Local Government Act, ward voter numbers cannot vary from each other by more than 10 per cent. The plan on exhibition notes that as of July Ward 4, the city's largest, is 14.9 per cent larger than Ward 3 and 11.9 per cent larger than Ward 2.
"Significant population growth across Newcastle means several wards no longer meet this threshold," the council said in a statement on Thursday.
Councillors voted on Tuesday to publicly exhibit new boundaries for 42 days.
Maps show Ward 2's boundary would wind back to follow the rail line from Broadmeadow, cutting out parts of New Lambton and Hamilton North but encompassing a larger slab of Kotara. It would also take in The Junction, Cooks Hill and parts of Bar Beach from Ward One.
The new Ward 3 would wrap in a larger slice of Hamilton and Hamilton North, Birmingham Gardens, Callaghan and Rankin Park while ceding more of Kotara to Ward 2.
Results from 2017's poll show Labor won the first preference counts at booths in Kotara High, Hamilton Public School, Hamilton North Public, New Lambton South, St Therese's New Lambton and Callaghan College.
A further report will go to the council after the consultation period on the changes is complete.
Acting chief executive Ken Liddell said the existing boundaries did not accurately reflect the demographics of modern Newcastle.
"When the boundaries of the four wards were drawn up around 25 years ago, the City of Newcastle was a very different place," he said.
"Since that time, and especially following the last Local Government Election in September 2017, a significant level of development has taken place across the LGA.
The NSW Electoral Commission has a December deadline for wards to be compliant ahead of next year's local government election.
"The process of redistributing voters is not a simple one, with a range of factors that need to be considered including natural boundaries, suburb boundaries, Census districts and future growth projections," Mr Liddell said.
"We are confident the proposed changes represent the best way forward to rectify this situation, and will also ensure this process does not have to be repeated in the short term."
The proposed redistribution is on the City of Newcastle website, with hard copies available from libraries or the council's administration centre.
Submissions close at midnight on October 10.
