County's district lines see some changes

Two proposed redistricting plans for Franklin County presented relatively few changes for most established political boundaries in the wake of the federal 2020 Census count of the area’s population.

Two comprehensive maps were displayed publicly for the first time on Monday, March 14 during the second-of-three scheduled public hearings held at the courthouse in Meadville focusing on redistricting requirements and expectations.

Kate Dorion, a project and data manager for Flo Analytics, joined the meeting via real-time computer connection to discuss boundary options and established guidelines that are part of the redistricting thought process.

“At this point, we’re a little over half way through the planning process with the final public hearing set for April 4, which is also the deadline for the community to have input into what is being proposed,” Dorion said in opening her remarks.

In outlining how Flo Analytics — a company retained by the county to assist in developing its redistricting plans — came up with its proposals, Dorion said several key principles were part of the equation.

“Among the considerations, districts within the county must be population balanced, be contiguous and in compliance with local, state and federal laws,” she went on to say. “The boundaries also cannot favor or disfavor a protected class or political party.

“Additionally, districts should be as compact as possible and preserve communities of interest while staying as close to existing boundaries as possible, but that can change a little in the end in getting populations balanced.”

With redistricting, Dorion said Franklin County is tasked with balancing its entire population by districts — not the number of registered voters or voting-age population per area — as elected officials are representing everyone in their respective beats.

“The difference between the highest population district and the lowest needs to be less than 10 percent,” she continued.

“We will not have perfectly even or perfectly averaged population districts with either of these proposals, but we will fall well within the 10 percent guideline and hopefully get as close to 5 percent as we can.”

Dorion pointed out, in 2010 after redistricting, Franklin County had a deviation of 6.7 percent between its largest and smallest districts.

But, if those same boundaries were taken into consideration after the 2020 Census and due to population shifts that have occurred in the past decade, the deviation would be 19.9 percent.

“That’s the justification as to why we have to go through this process,” she said.

“The goal is to get that deviation back to under 10 percent, which means we have to look at ways to bring the population of each district more in line with where they need to be.”

Dorion said both draft maps that were presented on Monday had areas in each beat that shifted small pockets of residents to different districts.

Under Map No. 1, the overall population deviation would be 6.2 percent with the ideal population for each county district estimated at 1,535 residents.

The smallest beat — District 3 — would have a population of 1,479 and the largest — District 5 — would have 1,574.

Other populations totals would include 1,481 in District 1; 1,573 in District 2; and 1,568 in District 4.

With Map No. 2, the population deviation would be 6.1 percent with a similar ideal target of 1,535 residents per beat.

The smallest beat — District 1 — would have a population of 1,481 and the largest — District 5 — would have 1,574.

“Deviation-wise both proposals are very similar with the changes in Districts 1, 4 and 5 pretty much the same on both maps,” Dorian said.

“The main difference in the proposals involves Districts 2 and 3 with the benefit of Map No. 2 — from a data perspective — being it is more compact than Map No. 1 where District 3 extends across the center of the county from the southern border to the northern border.”

Under both proposals, District 1 would have a Black-African American population of 61.5 percent while the number for this ethnic group in District 3 would sit between 50.9 and 51 percent.
Whites would hold majorities of between 68.3 and 68.8 percent in District 2; 81.7 to 81.8 percent in District 4; and 84.8 to 85.5 percent in District 5.

Dorion also presented tables showing ethnic breakdowns for each district regarding voting-age populations — or VAP — to provide additional background for elected officials and the public to review in regards to the redistricting process.

“While these VAP charts are for information purposes only, I remind you that what we consider in this process is the total population of each district,” she added.

Starkville attorney Lydia Quarles, a senior policy analyst with the John C. Stennis Institute for Government, spoke during Monday’s meeting and encouraged public feedback to help officials in choosing a plan in the best interest of the community

“We have two competing, but fairly similar maps that will hopefully address the requirements of the redistricting process,” Quarles said.

“Public feedback is an important part of the process because your voice is vital in helping all of us address concerns you might have.”

Among those speaking during the meeting were resident Robert Fleming, who said he was born and raised in District 3, and noted he was concerned with Map No. 2 and the numbers associated with it in regards to ethnicity.

“My question is whether or not there will still be an opportunity for there to be two Black supervisors in the county?” Fleming asked.

Dorian pointed out, based on the numbers she had previously discussed under both redistricting proposals, that Franklin County has two majority “minority” districts.

“If you wanted District 3 to have more of a majority Black or African American population of greater than 51 percent it would have to be taken out of District 1,” she told Fleming.

“That would mean the minority population in 1 would come down and would go up in 3, but is something we could look at.”

Quarles said Fleming’s concerns would be considered before a final decision on redistricting is made by county supervisors.

“The main consideration is keeping the county-wide population deviation under 10 percent, and if that can be done with what (Fleming) is asking about, we’ll certainly take a look at it.”

District 3 Election Commissioner Margie S. McNair questioned what she or others might need to do to make suggestions or raise concerns about either of the redistricting proposals being considered.

Quarles told McNair if she or any member of the public have a comment or issue with the draft plans between now and the third public hearing to be held at 2 p.m., Monday, April 4 at the courthouse, they should certainly express their viewpoints.

She suggested residents contact their district supervisor, send an email to Franklin County Chancery Clerk Jill Jordan Gilbert at jgilbert@franklincountyms.com or speak at any regularly scheduled meeting of the supervisors held on the first and third Mondays of each month.

The maps that were viewed during Monday’s hearing will be on display at the courthouse now through the final public hearing.

“We are hoping by Monday, April 4 or shortly thereafter, the supervisors can decide on a plan and adopt it,” Quarles went on to say.

“But before anything is adopted, we hope you will bring your issues up and we’ll do the best we can to address those concerns.”

McNair also raised the issue of boundary changes and what that could potentially mean in terms of getting people to their proper voting precincts in future county elections.

Quarles said election commissioners send out notification cards to voters when changes are made to district boundaries, and the Circuit Clerk’s office — which deals with election protocols — will assist in the process.

“You will work together to get those cards out, which will spell out where individuals will vote in advance of any upcoming election once a redistricting plan has been approved by supervisors,” Quarles noted.

Any redistricting plan that is adopted by county leaders will remain in place until after numbers from the next federal decennial Census are released in 2032.