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Regular Agenda Item
Commissioners Office
JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Philip Morley, County Administrator
DATE: November 28, 2011
SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING re: Redistricting the County Commissioner Boundaries
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
Conduct a Public Hearing to obtain public testimony regarding three alternatives and which one
should be selected for adjusting County Commissioner boundaries based on the 20 I 0 Census.
ANALYSIS:
Pursuant to RCW 29A.76.0l0, the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners is conducting a
hearing to take public testimony on which one of three options to select to realign the County
Commissioner District boundaries to adjust population based on the 20 I 0 Census. Maps of the
existing County Commissioner Districts and the three Alternatives are attached (to improve map
resolution, areas in west and south county are outside of the map frame, and are included in
District 3 under all Alternatives).
Table I compares the population of the existing Commissioner Districts and the three
Alternatives, along with their variance from an equal distribution of the 2010 Census.
TABLE 1
Population Distribution
Alternative I District 1 I District 2 I District 3
2010 Census l!oal: 9,957 9,957 9,957
Existing Districts: 9,520 9,987 10,365
Variance; over (under); (437) 30 408
Alternative 1: 9,958 9,939 9,975
Variance: over (under): 1 (18) 18
Alternative 2: 9,958 9,906 10,008
Variance: over (under); I (51) 51
Alternative 3: 9,958 9,983 9,931
Variance; over (under): I 26 (26)
Regular Agenda Item
Commissioners Office
On November 28, the County Commissioners will receive public testimony. Selection of one of
the alternatives must wait for a week (December 5, 20 II). The Commissioners must notify the
County Auditor of the alternative selected on or before December 8, 2011.
Development of the three alternatives was pursuant to state law and guidelines provided by the
Washington Secretary of State, attached to this Agenda Request.
The district boundaries selected by the County Commissioners would also apply to the
Commissioner boundaries for the Port of Port Townsend. In addition, Jefferson County Public
Utility District No. I has indicated they may opt to apply these same boundaries to the PUD
Commissioner districts.
Public Notice of the Public Hearing was published in The Leader as a legal ad plus a display ad
two times, on November 16 and November 23, 2011. The Notice and maps were also posted on
the county's web site.
RECOMMENDATION:
Conduct the Public Hearing and take public testimony regarding which redistricting alternative
the County Commissioners should select on December 5 to adjust the County Commissioner
District boundaries based on the 20 I 0 Census.
REVIEWED BY:
111u/;r
Date
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Regular Agenda Item
Commissioners Office
East Jefferson County Redistricting!
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Regular Agenda Item
Commissioners Office
East Jefferson County
Redistricting Alternative 1
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Regular Agenda Item
Commissioners Office
East Jefferson County
Redistricting Alternative 2
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Regular Agenda Item
Commissioners Office
East Jefferson County
Redistricting Alternative 3
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Regular Agenda Item
Commissioners Office
2010 Census Redistricting Guidelines
The Board of County Commissioners is required by law (RCW 29A.76.0J 0) to "prepare a plan
for redistricting its internal or director districts" after each decennial census to reflect changes in
population. The plan must be consistent with the following criteria:
a) Each district shall be as ncarly equal in population as possible.
b) Each district shall be as compact as possible.
c) Each district shall consist of geographically contiguous area.
d) Population data may not be used for purposes favoring or disfavoring any racial group or
political party.
e) To the extent feasible and ifnot inconsistent with the basic enabling legislation for the
municipal corporation, county, or district, the district boundaries shall coincide with
existing recognized natural boundaries and shall, to the extent possible, preserve existing
communities or related and mutual interest.
f) In addition, the Washington Secretary of State issued guidance that district boundaries
cannot divide census blocks.
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