DISTRICTS
The County needs to determine whether its districts comply with established law. Districts must:
§ Meet the proportionate population requirements. The County's population is 32,353 people. There are five districts in the County. Each district therefore should contain approximately 6,407 people (32,353/5 = 6,407). Some deviation is allowed; the districts may be five percent larger or smaller than 6,407 people, a variation of plus or minus 320 people.
§ Be compact (regular shape) and contiguous (must be one geographic area).
§ Comply with the Voting Rights Act. Districts may be challenged on basis that their form renders political processes that are not equally open to participation by members of a protected class.
§ Preserve communities of interest, avoiding splits of political subdivisions and precincts.
If existing districts meet all applicable legal standards, they may be retained unchanged. If existing districts no longer comply with applicable standards, they must be modified through enactment of a redistricting ordinance.
