redistricting questions

[csgray]

This election may be the last one with our current county council districts. It is my understanding that the redistricting committee has already been picked, but I know nothing about how they go about this process and who they are. Does anyone know anything about how this works here in Hawaii and who is on that committee?

Does anyone know when the census data will be available? Currently Hilo has 3 county councilors, and Puna is splintered off into 3 different districts, with Paradise Park, Orchidland, and Hawaiian Acres all in different districts, in spite of their close proximity. The census may (should?) show marked growth concentrated in a few districts: Puna, Kohala, and maybe Ka'u or Hamakua. Hilo on the other hand, hasn't grown much, and is an ever decreasing percentage of the residents of Hawaii County. I look at that gerrymandered wedge that reaches from Ka'u all the way past Volcano and down to Hawaiian Acres and I just have to wonder what parameters are set for the redistricting team. The inclusion of Orchidland into District 3 is another head scratcher. Do they even have to pretend to consolidate districts geographically, or is it anything goes as long as current seats are protected?

Carol

[janet]

The County Charter can be found at:

http://www.co.hawaii.hi.us/council/chart...harter.pdf

The passage on the "Reapportionment Commission" can be found in Artile III - Legislative Branch - County Council - Section 3-17.

The Charter Commission's Proposal #5, has several amendments to this Section. Yesterday's Tribune-Herald (page A 5) posted all the proposed Charter amendments, with short explanations, which answer some of your questions.

None of this, of course, speaks to how the process actually works!

[csgray]

Thank you Janet,
This line stood out for me:
"Insofar as possible, districts should be contiguous and compact;"
I can't see that they followed that one last time, judging from council district VI and council district III. I guess we just have to wait for the census data.

Carol

[Rob Tucker]

Carol, It is great that you are looking into this. We need people to pay attention to redistricting and call on council to pass a bill making the redistricting commission subject to the Sunshine Laws.

Bob Jacobson proposed such a measure in 2007 and it failed. Emily Naeole-Beason voted against it to our disappointment.

[csgray]

My undergraduate degree was in geography so land use and land distribution are a passion of mine. (I know, how can anyone be passionate about land use?) When I look at that district map it just doesn't make sense from a geographic perspective.

I've been looking at old maps of the Moku and Ahupua'a all day preparing for my History of the Hawaiian Kingdom class, and it really struck me how much we still use those land divisions today. Except for the gerrymandering of Puna the council districts actually match up with the post unification Moku pretty well.

Carol