When the redistricting process is high-jacked by a chairman, it’s called gerrymandering which is an attempt to divide or arrange (an area) into political units to give special advantages to one group.
Some examples of gerrymandering supporting elements may include:
A. Lack of transparency with very limited public and council member access to the specifics behind the process. This is often accompanied by two ordinance voting sessions conducted BEFORE any information is released.
B. A closed process which affords only scant engagement from all but the chairman.
C. Districts drawn in winding illogical shapes which go around multiple others.
D. Disruptions of communities of interest in an apparent attempt to serve self-interest.
F. Arguments are made justifying the deeply flawed redistricting plan, saying it is no worse than the old deeply flawed district map.
G. A hasty and hurried “hit ‘em before they know it” process is scheduled for completion nearly three months BEFORE the deadline.
H. Irrationally ripping out a tiny silver of homes from their community of interest, resulting in removing one of the chair’s possible opponents from his district.
I. Or just examine Fairfield’s total redistricting process for an excellent example of gerrymandering
Chairman Bell has only one path to asway the aforementioned gerrymandering allegations. That path is a transparent and robust public vetting of the redistricting map and plan over the next couple of months BEFORE the final vote is cast.
Of course, the chairman must also ensure that the public and his council have easy access to all the pertinent redistricting data and rationale necessary to wise decision making.
Will the Chair do the right thing for the citizens or just serve himself?
Randy Bright
Ridgeway