The City of Columbus will hold a public hearing on its redistricting plan on Monday at 6 p.m. at the courtroom of the Municipal Complex.
The hearing will allow the public a chance to voice their opinions on the redistricting map passed by the council or submit their own maps for consideration and it is likely that at least one alternate plan will be offered, according to Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem.
On May 15, the council approved a redistricting map proposed Chris Watson of Watson and Bridge of Oxford, the consulting firm hired by the city to draw up redistricting proposals. Under the proposal, Wards 1 and 2 would remain unchanged. Ward 3 would be reduced by 350 people and a block on Hemlock Street would move to Ward 4. Ward 5 would absorb everything south of Waverly Road and one block of Sixth Street North to 11th Street North.
The plan is based on a 20 percent variance between the city’s most populated ward – Ward 6 – and its least populated, Ward 4. The new map would cut the variance to 9.5 percent.
The plan was met with opposition from Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens and Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem. Both voted against the proposal.
Karriem said Wednesday he said seen another proposal by a group of Columbus citizens to be submitted at the hearing. Although Karriem would not divulge any details about the new proposal, he said he will give it his support.
“There is a group in town that has come fourth with an alternate plan,” Karriem said. “I’m pleased with this plan. It’s equitable and it doesn’t have so much stacking. It’s 2012 — you don’t need districts that are stacked with high majorities or minorities. If you are elected b the people to be a good servant of the community and you are doing your job, you don’t have to have your wards stacked with 80 and 90 percents either way.”
“I just want what’s fair for the community,” Mickens said. “If someone can come up with something better than what the council approved, I would be for making a motion on the new plan and trying to get it passed through. This isn’t about what’s best for Ward 2 or any other ward, it’s about what’s best for the community.”
Council Chief Operating Officer David Armstrong said a new plan would not have to be approved by the council but a councilman could make a motion on accepting the plan.
Karriem said the plan is also being scrutinized by the Lowndes County League of Voters and the Lowndes County Democratic Party.
“As it stands with the current plan, we are not in favor of it and we do not support it,” League of Voters President Tyrone Cunningham said Wednesday. He did not elaborate on his objections to the plan, however.
Cindy Lawrence, chairmen for the Lowndes County Democratic Party, did not return calls Wednesday afternoon.
Watson said every plan will be submitted to the Department of Justice.
“The city does not have an obligation to vote down an opposing plan,” Watson said. “The Justice Department will either approve or deny the plan approved by the city. If they have issue with the city’s plan, they will send it back and have them work on it. They will want to know what plans were considered by the city. When the redistricting was done in Lowndes County, we drew up some plans and one of them was approved by the supervisors. (District 5 Supervisor) Leroy Brooks drew up his own plan. The Justice Department went with the plan submitted by the county. I have no problem with citizens submitting their own plans.”
Redistricting is required by law under the Voters Rights Act of 1965. It prohibits states from imposing any voting qualification or deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color.” According to Armstrong, the latest census results showed redistricting is necessary in the city of Columbus.
“This is done every 10 years,” he said. “If you have a variance of 10 percent or more in any ward, you have to redistrict. We have a variance of 20 percent. What that means is that we have 23,640 people in Columbus. The wards should be divided at 3,940 people in each ward, but that’s never the case. We have to submit our plan for redistricting to the Department of Justice 90 days before the deadline to qualify for the municipal election, which is March 8, 2013. I feel we will have it submitted by August. We want to give people plenty of time to know what ward in which they will vote.”
Columbus last went through the redistricting process in 2001.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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