For Berlin’s redistricting plans, Monday was a start.
Based on the 2010 U.S. Census, Berlin’s population has grown from around 3,000 to 4,496, and with all of these new residents, Berlin must adjust its election districts to maintain – as best as possible – an equitable number in each one.
This would mean that each of Berlin’s council member districts ideally would be divided into districts of 1,124 residents. Problem is, it is not as easy as that.
Mary Bohlen, deputy town administrator, presented to the mayor and Town Council during Monday’s evening work session three re-districting plans developed by the Board of Supervisors of Elections. Each plan would meet the population standard plus or minus 5 percent.
Plan one – simply manipulate boundary lines to “satisfy the ideal standards for redistricting.”
Plan two – adjust the boundary lines to bring each district as close to 1,124 as possible and include at least one district with a minority majority.
Problem: if this is done, than the council members’ residences for council seats for Districts 3 and 4 would no longer be in the correct district. Berlin would then to have a special election to fill both vacancies.
Plan Three – take the boundary lines of Plan Two, but switch and tweak the boundary lines of District 3 and District 4. In other words, Councilman Elroy Brittingham (District 3) would be representing a jurisdiction with a majority of Councilman Dean Burrell (District 4)’s current constituency and vice versa.
Bohlen, the pivot point between the elections board and the town’s elected officials, endorsed the third option after discussions with those parties and consultations with the Maryland Department of Planning in Baltimore.
Even so, the council did not commit to any move, but will confer with a state elections expert before making a decision on a matter that generated more questions than answers.
Burrell, whose District 4 is the minority-majority district, raised concerns about the switch recommended in Plan 3.
“Naturally I was concerned,” he said Tuesday. “District three would become four and four would become three. I’d still have some of my same constituents, but my district would really change a lot.”
But both Burrell and Mayor Gee Williams pointed out that this was just the initial step in redrawing the election map. The council, Williams and Bohlen agreed that the Maryland Department of Planning expert would be asked to come to the council and explain the situation in more detail.
Brittingham, who wasn’t at the meeting, said that he’s been through this before “when they re-drew the 2004 lines.” He added that it was important to have more discussions and meet with the state about the re-districting.
“What happened to me before on Flower Street where I live, my neighbors across the street weren’t in my district. People on one side of Schoolfield can vote for me, and on the other side, they can’t.”
Williams reiterated on Tuesday, however, that this is just the beginning of the process.
“Last night was our first work session,” he said. “And it won’t be our last. We’re starting from scratch. We had the largest increase (in population) in the town’s history. With that kind of an increase, there’s going to be an impact on our districts.”
Williams added the most dramatic growth is in the Decatur Farms community with 707 new residents since 2000. The development is located east of Route 113 near Stephen Decatur Park.
“The challenge is to find a way to try not to create chaos and make dramatic changes in election districts that people would make people feel disenfranchised,” he said. “Obviously some boundary changes will be made.”
Williams said that the election board’s job is to come up with alternatives.
“We have to live with a political reality of redistricting,” he said. “It would not be fair nor responsible to basically disqualify two very experienced long-serving council members just because we can’t take time to move the census blocks,” he said talking about Plan 2.
In addition to getting a more detailed explanation of the options, town officials also will seek the public’s opinion on the various routes that might be taken.
At least there is plenty of time to make whatever changes might be approved. Even though the census was conducted three years ago, it can take that long to break down all the data to the municipal level so towns can have the numbers they need for redistricting.
According to the Worcester County Board of Elections, a “town is not mandated to formulate new district boundaries within a set period of time following the census. The entire matter could be put on hold until after the October, 2014 Regular Town Election.”
Based on the 2010 U.S. Census, Berlin’s population has grown from around 3,000 to 4,496, and with all of these new residents, Berlin must adjust its election districts to maintain – as best as possible – an equitable number in each one.
This would mean that each of Berlin’s council member districts ideally would be divided into districts of 1,124 residents. Problem is, it is not as easy as that.
Mary Bohlen, deputy town administrator, presented to the mayor and Town Council during Monday’s evening work session three re-districting plans developed by the Board of Supervisors of Elections. Each plan would meet the population standard plus or minus 5 percent.
Plan one – simply manipulate boundary lines to “satisfy the ideal standards for redistricting.”
Plan two – adjust the boundary lines to bring each district as close to 1,124 as possible and include at least one district with a minority majority.
Problem: if this is done, than the council members’ residences for council seats for Districts 3 and 4 would no longer be in the correct district. Berlin would then to have a special election to fill both vacancies.
Plan Three – take the boundary lines of Plan Two, but switch and tweak the boundary lines of District 3 and District 4. In other words, Councilman Elroy Brittingham (District 3) would be representing a jurisdiction with a majority of Councilman Dean Burrell (District 4)’s current constituency and vice versa.
Bohlen, the pivot point between the elections board and the town’s elected officials, endorsed the third option after discussions with those parties and consultations with the Maryland Department of Planning in Baltimore.
Even so, the council did not commit to any move, but will confer with a state elections expert before making a decision on a matter that generated more questions than answers.
Burrell, whose District 4 is the minority-majority district, raised concerns about the switch recommended in Plan 3.
“Naturally I was concerned,” he said Tuesday. “District three would become four and four would become three. I’d still have some of my same constituents, but my district would really change a lot.”
But both Burrell and Mayor Gee Williams pointed out that this was just the initial step in redrawing the election map. The council, Williams and Bohlen agreed that the Maryland Department of Planning expert would be asked to come to the council and explain the situation in more detail.
Brittingham, who wasn’t at the meeting, said that he’s been through this before “when they re-drew the 2004 lines.” He added that it was important to have more discussions and meet with the state about the re-districting.
“What happened to me before on Flower Street where I live, my neighbors across the street weren’t in my district. People on one side of Schoolfield can vote for me, and on the other side, they can’t.”
Williams reiterated on Tuesday, however, that this is just the beginning of the process.
“Last night was our first work session,” he said. “And it won’t be our last. We’re starting from scratch. We had the largest increase (in population) in the town’s history. With that kind of an increase, there’s going to be an impact on our districts.”
Williams added the most dramatic growth is in the Decatur Farms community with 707 new residents since 2000. The development is located east of Route 113 near Stephen Decatur Park.
“The challenge is to find a way to try not to create chaos and make dramatic changes in election districts that people would make people feel disenfranchised,” he said. “Obviously some boundary changes will be made.”
Williams said that the election board’s job is to come up with alternatives.
“We have to live with a political reality of redistricting,” he said. “It would not be fair nor responsible to basically disqualify two very experienced long-serving council members just because we can’t take time to move the census blocks,” he said talking about Plan 2.
In addition to getting a more detailed explanation of the options, town officials also will seek the public’s opinion on the various routes that might be taken.
At least there is plenty of time to make whatever changes might be approved. Even though the census was conducted three years ago, it can take that long to break down all the data to the municipal level so towns can have the numbers they need for redistricting.
According to the Worcester County Board of Elections, a “town is not mandated to formulate new district boundaries within a set period of time following the census. The entire matter could be put on hold until after the October, 2014 Regular Town Election.”