September 2011, Update on Redistricting

From an article I sent to the Spectrum Newspaper in September of 2011 providing an update on my assignment on the Redistricting Committee. The redistricting process has been very interesting, engaging, and enlightening process. I’ve learned the job of drawing maps is much harder than it looks and I’m glad that once we finish, we won’t need to repeat the process for another decade. As Southern Utah’s lone member to serve on the Redistricting Committee, I have had the opportunity to visit 17 communities in all regions of the state listening to the peoples’ concerns regarding the boundaries to be created by the process. The public was very engaged in the process and most meetings were well attended with many people wanting to offer comments. For the first time in the redistricting process there has been computer software available to the public at www.redistrictingutah.com for anyone to have a hand in drawing maps for State School Board districts, State Senate, State House and the ever illusive Congressional map. This is a gigantic evolution in the redistricting process. Even the last process in 2001 featured software systems that required too much memory and sophisticated computer know how in order to operate the program. This time it made a big difference for committee members and the public to be able to fully participate. At the local meetings anyone who had drawn a map had the chance to present to the committee. The base map for State School Board was one drawn by Rob Horner, an interested citizen from Logan. Public ideas and input from citizen maps were used to flesh out the details of the other redistricting maps. Washington and Iron counties have had a combined growth that has resulted in some interesting maps. Though the results aren’t final until the vote during the October 3rd Special Session, this is what has been generally agreed to for Southern Utah. 1) A new open seat will be created for State School Board that will cover both counties. 2) The final boundaries for Washington and Iron counties will result in five total State House seats (currently four State House Seats) with one being a new open seat in Washington County. Cedar City will be included in one district rather than divided between two seats in Iron County. The numbers were so close that we have 18 more people in the two counties than would be considered the ideal balance based on the census numbers for five seats. 3) Washington County will have one entirely contained State Senate seat and Washington, Iron and Beaver Counties will share a second State Senate seat. The illusive Congressional map is still just that… illusive! There are still a few more redistricting meetings before the October 3rd Special Session to work on the Congressional map. Stand by for the excitement as we complete our work on the pizza slice/donut hole or totally new food group Congressional map. I want to thank everyone that has sent in maps or comments. You all know more about the unique neighborhoods, communities and geography in your area than the computer software and it is important we combine the sophistication of computer map drawing with the heart and soul of the people that live in the districts.