FAYETTEVILLE -- Election officials in both Benton and Washington counties are still eyeing new boundaries for justice of the peace districts, with both counties mulling multiple options.
Washington County's Election Commission had narrowed its choices from seven maps to two, with one designated as the commission's preferred choice. The commission, after hearing from the public, agreed changes were needed and is now considering four maps.
Commissioner Max Deitchler said the deletions and additions of maps showing possible justice of the peace district boundaries tell him the process is working.
"We've been talking about it and working on it for a couple of months now," Deitchler said. "At this point in the process, I'm satisfied with how it has turned out to date."
The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission has been working with both counties, drawing maps showing possible district lines in accordance with accepted guidelines. Deitchler said having the resources of the regional planners is essential.
"Governments don't redraw maps except once every 10 years," Deitchler said. "So no one in government has much experience or expertise."
Some Fayetteville residents emailed Jennifer Price, the county's election director, to say they opposed the preferred map, Map 7, because it moved their neighborhoods from District 9 to District 15, which has been made up mostly of the rural portions of eastern Washington County.
Mark Graff, who lives on Washington Avenue in Fayetteville's Historic District, is one of the city residents who asked the commission to reconsider its preference.
"Selecting Map 2 will preserve the geographically compact character of our current districting scheme," Graff wrote in his email. "It will also honor the principle of minimizing the splitting of political subdivisions, another explicit redistricting criterion approved by the courts. The current map, Map 7, actually would split up Fayetteville across eight or more JP districts, effecting a political gerrymander which would dilute the impact of Fayetteville's citizens -- a distinct 'community of interest' which you should strive to preserve, as mentioned in the redistricting guidelines."
Jeff Hawkins, director of the Regional Planning Commission, has provided election officials a list of criteria that courts have found acceptable and that should be considered in drawing the districts. The guidelines include balancing the district's populations to ensure equal representation; prohibiting discrimination based on race, color or language; drawing districts that are relatively compact and contiguous; keeping core areas of existing districts intact; and keeping together "communities of interest" which include areas with common economic, social, political, cultural, ethnic or religious interests.
The Regional Planning Commission has sent Washington County two maps reflecting ways the commissioners could accommodate the objections and concerns about Districts 9 and 15, Hawkins said.
Washington County's Election Commission is set to meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Quorum Court meeting room at the County Courthouse to continue reviewing the maps. All of the maps, including the two most recent revisions, can be viewed on the county's website at washingtoncountyar.gov under the Election Commission.
Anyone with comments can call the commission office at 479-444-1766 or email Price at [email protected]. Those comments will be forwarded to the Election Commission.
According to information on the county's website, the deadline for the commission to establish the Quorum Court districts is Jan. 3. There is a 30-day period in which legal challenges to the district lines can be filed in court. Filing for the May 24 primary election begins Feb. 22 and ends March 1.
The Benton County Election Commission is still waiting for its first look at maps showing possible Quorum Court district boundaries.
Russ Anzalone, Benton County Election Commission chairman, said the Regional Planning Commission has two maps completed and is working on a third. Anzalone said the commission could have looked at the first two maps at a meeting Wednesday, but he chose to wait.
"I said let's wait until we get all three of them," Anzalone said, adding he expects all three to be ready within the next two weeks. "I want to see them all at one time, rather than look at them piecemeal."
Hawkins said the redistricting will require changes in most districts.
"All of the districts on the east side of the county have to gain population," Hawkins said. "Those lines are going to have to move to the west. That's going to require changes in other districts."