2011 Local Redistricting Observations

Hi!

I have attached my update for this week. Thank you and have a great day.

Jason

2011 Local Redistricting Observations

As you are probably aware, this is the year when state and local government divisions redraw the boundary lines defining the area from which their public officials are elected.

This important process is designed to ensure that each district contains the same number of people. It results from a Supreme Court decision in the 1960s that established the principle that one group of people should not be disadvantaged due to the fact that there are more people living inside of their particular district thus diluting their voting power.

Every 10 years, government units equalize each district’s population using the data from the recently concluded census.

As you might imagine this has been a challenging process in our area because of the rapidly growing local population. Making matters more challenging is the fact that the growth has been heavily concentrated, meaning that over the last 10 years large population inequities have developed between the various districts. Statistically, areas of North Oklahoma County and South Logan County have been under-represented in government over the past years and the districts that cover those areas have to give up a significant amount of their population.

This growth has had a huge impact on House District 31. As a result of redistricting, the House District has lost approximately half of its geographic area. All areas north of the Cimarron River and east of Indian Meridian Road will be transferred to other districts. And, with a very small exception, the entirety of a large north and westside Guthrie precinct (voting at Guthrie Christian Church) will also transfer away from House District 31.

House District 31 actually expands in the south and picks up 16 square miles of the Deer Creek area.

Oklahoma County Commission District Three will also change to reflect local growth trends. This district includes much of the North Oklahoma County area and contained 44,000 more residents than it did in the year 2000. This tremendous amount of growth meant that the district had to give up much of the Luther area.

In Logan County, Logan County Districts One and Two have also grown because of the influx of population into south Logan County. Both of these districts had to give up territory in the Guthrie area. This gives Guthrie a much stronger voice in Logan County District Three within which about two-thirds of the town’s population now lives. For the first time in many years, Logan County District One has almost completely been removed from the Guthrie area with just small portions on the south and west sides of town remaining in the district.

Logan County District Two becomes much more representative of south Logan County as the district gave up 2,000 residents in the Guthrie and Langston areas and picked up 2,000 south Logan County residents from District One. To see if your neighbored was affected by the Logan County redistricting action you may review the new map at http://hd31.org/146.

As an observer of Logan County government, it was refreshing to see the contrast in this year’s county redistricting progress when compared to the last redistricting. In 2001, the County Commission initially redistricted the county in violation of the one-man, one-vote concept. They attempted to cram nearly 2,500 more residents into Logan County District One than Logan County District Three. This resulted in a staggering 13.96 deviation from the mean population distribution and far exceeded the amount allowed by law. In short, the Commission appeared to simply ignore the law and flagrantly violated the one-man, one-vote principle.

That was one of my first experiences observing what I believed to be the local good-old-boy system and served as an inspiration to work for the reform of area government.

Today, things are much different. The 2011 redistricting plan equalizes the population between districts and allows for county residents to be equally represented in local government.