Civic Connections is a monthly feature authored by a rotating cast of Lexington councilmembers and other civic-minded professionals
BY JENNIFER A. JACKSON, M.D., CO-PRESIDENT, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF LEXINGTON
Occurring every 10 years after new U.S. Census data is released, redistricting is the process of drawing new political maps. Maps for all levels of government are redrawn, determining boundaries for districts wherein residents elect people to represent them, be it in Washington, D.C., Frankfort or Lexington/Fayette County.
New political maps need to be redrawn because all parts of the city and state do not grow equally. Over time, districts that started with relatively equal numbers of people become unbalanced – think about how much Hamburg has grown in the past 10 years, for example.
The Lexington redistricting process this year will affect Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council (LFUCC). LFUCC consists of 15 members: 12 members representing 12 districts (two-year terms) and three at-large members (four-year terms). The people who sit on the council make decisions about local taxes and services. The Fayette County School Board has five members representing five districts (four-year terms).
Not surprisingly, politicians who directly benefit from redistricting may draw biased maps. They may calculate which voters will elect them again and try to stack their district with these voters.
For this reason, the League of Women Voters supports a transparent, open redistricting process with public input. We want to avoid what is termed “gerrymandering,” or drawing maps to the benefit of politicians, not voters. (The strange word “gerrymander” arose in the early 1800s from a political map drawn while Massachusetts Mayor Elbridge Gerry was in office. The map, presumably drawn to help him win, resembled a salamander.)
In an effort to create fair districts that are not influenced by politicians, some cities appoint or hire independent elected officials or commissions to draw maps. Lexington has a hybrid system. Councilmembers each choose a resident in their respective districts to represent the constituents during the redistricting process. This group of 15 residents works with the city’s planning and mapping departments to draw new district boundaries based on a series of ordinances (hard rules) and guidelines (suggestions), using voting precincts as the “building blocks.”
Census data was delayed this year, but there is pressure to have new districts finalized before Nov. 3, 2021, when candidates can file for public office. More information on the process can be found at www.civiclex.org/redistricting.
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political organization that works to encourage the informed and active participation of citizens in government.