I was going to go to the Executive Committee tonight and listen in, but the meeting was cancelled. But then I got curious!The Executive Committee has had this on their agenda a few times. And they formed a sub-committee that met for a while. Here’s what I could dig up on what they have done so far.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
This is what I could get out of the minutes of the meetings they have had on this topic.
Discussion and Possible Action on Planning for Nonpartisan Redistricting Process – The committee continued its discussion of planning, timeline, and frequently asked questions regarding the 2021 Redistricting process. This topic will be an ongoing item on the Executive Committee agenda as the 2021 Redistricting process gets underway. No action was taken at this time.
Initial Discussion and Possible Action on Planning for Nonpartisan Redistricting Process
Karin Peterson-Thurlow, County Board Chief of Staff, reported on the 2021 redistricting background, timeline, and procedural requirements established by state law, as well as by Dane County Board 2016 OA 032: AMENDING CHAPTER 15 OF THE DANE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, CREATING AN INDEPENDENT CITIZEN REDISTRICTING COMMISSION.
Thurlow discussed key dates for the 2021 redistricting process, and pointed out that the County Board elections for 2022 will be influenced by the outcomes of the 2021 redistricting process.
Next Steps:
– The Executive Committee will have a standing agenda item to take up the redistricting process questions in upcoming meetings of the committee.
– The Co Bd Office will create a FAQ sheet regarding establishing redistricting process for the 1/23/20 Executive Committee meeting.
– The Executive Committee will begin to lay out a process regarding establishing the number of supervisory districts (based on state and county regulations).
– The Executive Committee needs to further define and clarify the eligibility requirements laid out in 2016-OA 32 for the redistricting commission and process.
– The Executive Committee needs to hear from the public on the issue–Perhaps through POLCO to gather public input on redistricting topics of concern. Executive Committee will work on drafting some POLCO questions.
– The Executive Committee needs to establish how the County Board will accept the work of the Redistricting Commission.
Future Meeting Items and Dates – Sup. Nelson requested that at an early 2020 Executive Committee meeting that the committee discuss procedures for non-partisan redistricting.
2015 SUBCOMMITTEE
This subcommittee met for for 6 months in in 2015.
The December 18, 2015 minutes have this draft of recommendations, survey results from 7 people, and the following motions.
A motion was made by DYE, seconded by HONOLD, “to recommend that the redistricting commission adopt a map drawing process that includes direction on staff chain of command, and that direction to staff should not come from County Board members or any parties not on the redistricting commission.” The motion carried by a voice vote.
A motion was made by DYE, seconded by GILLIS, “to recommend that the issue of core retention of districts should be considered as a potential criterion for map content after the 2021 redistricting process is completed, but before the subsequent redistricting process begins.” The motion carried by a voice vote.
A motion was made by GILLIS, seconded by CHEEKS, “to recommend that the criteria for map content be listed in the following order in the ordinance amendment and that the criteria be considered without regard to incumbency: (a) Equal population*; (b) Contiguity*; (c) Compactness*; (d) Political boundaries such as cities, villages, towns, school districts, or districts thereof; (e) Racial, ethnic, or language minority representation* and communities of interest*; (f) Geography and natural boundaries, such as rivers, lakes, etc.; (g) Neighborhoods * Required by state or federal law.” The motion carried by a voice vote.
A motion was made by HONOLD, seconded by KAMINSKI, “to recommend the following language for criteria for map content: “The commission shall develop a map that divides the county into the number of districts
determined by the county board. In the preparation of its plan for dividing the county into districts for the election of county board supervisors, the commission shall apply applicable state and federal law, which shall control in the event of any conflict with this ordinance. The commission shall also apply the criteria set forth in the following paragraphs to the maximum extent practicable and without regard to incumbency: (a) Equal population*; (b) Contiguity*; (c) Compactness*; (d) Political boundaries such as cities, villages, towns, school districts, or districts thereof; (e) Racial, ethnic, or language minority representation* and communities of interest*; (f) Geography and natural boundaries, such as rivers, lakes, etc.; (g) Neighborhoods * Required by state or federal law. ” The motion carried by a voice vote.
A motion was made by CHEEKS, seconded by HELT, that the approved language for criteria for map content be amended to include the following language in the sentence preceding the listing of criteria: “The following criteria shall all be considered, but they shall be given priority in the paragraph order in which they are listed.” The motion carried by a voice vote.
A motion was made by DYE, seconded by CHEEKS, “to approve the criteria for map content, as amended, and request that Corporation Counsel draft an ordinance implementing the criteria for map content, and that materials and information considered by the subcommittee in making its recommendations be conveyed to Corporation Counsel to aid in its ordinance drafting.” The motion carried by a voice vote.
A motion was made by DYE, seconded by HONOLD, “to recommend that the County Clerk develop a schedule for the redistricting process and a suggested timeline and process for public engagement to be adopted and used by the redistricting commission.” The motion carried by a voice vote.
A motion was made by DYE, seconded by GILLIS, “to recommend the process for selection of the citizen members of a redistricting commission as follows:
1) The City of Madison, Dane County Towns Association, and Dane County Cities and Villages Association will each submit to the Dane County Board Chair a list of no more and no less than three (3) candidates that meet the eligibility criteria for membership on an impartial citizen redistricting commission. The Dane County Board Chair will select one (1) candidate from each of the submitted lists to serve as a member on an impartial citizen redistricting commission. The Dane County Board Chair will set a deadline by which the parties must submit their lists of candidates. If the City of Madison, the Dane County Towns Association, or the Dane County Cities and Villages Association does not submit its list of three (3) candidates by the deadline, it will forfeit its opportunity to submit candidates for selection to the commission.
2) Dane County Board Chair will make three (3) or four (4) additional citizen appointments and the Dane County Clerk will also make three (3) or four (4) additional citizen appointments to an impartial citizen redistricting commission after the opportunity to serve has been communicated through a recruitment process which is structured to contact broad and diverse sections of the Dane County electorate. The interested persons shall apply. Applications shall be screened initially by County Board staff to remove any applicants that do not meet the eligibility criteria. The Dane County Board Chair and Dane County Clerk will then make the final appointments of members to an impartial citizen redistricting commission.”
3) The commission should not include ex-officio county board supervisors. Supervisors will be allowed to participate and provide input to the same extent as input as taken from the public. The motion carried by a voice vote.”
A motion was made by KAMINSKI, seconded by HONOLD, “to include the materials on the Ohio redistricting competition as a part of the subcommittee’s recommendations.” The motion carried by a voice vote.
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The January 21, 2016 agenda has this item.
The minutes of the January 21, 2016 Executive Committee meeting indicate that no action was taken.
This item is not on the agenda for
- February 4, 2016
- February 18, 2016
- March 3, 2016
- March 17, 2016
- April 7, 2016
- May 5, 2016
- May 19, 2016
- June 16, 2016 – Cancelled
- July 14, 2016
- August 18, 2016
8 MONTHS LATER THERE IS AN ORDINANCE
On the September 8, 2016 agenda of the Executive Committee there is an ordinance that was discussed. The minutes say the following:
Supervisor Dye spoke in support of Ordinance Amendment 032. She says it encapsulates the recommendations made by the Subcommittee on Redistricting that finished its work in early 2016.
A motion was made by STUBBS, seconded by SCHMIDT, that the Ordinance Amendment be recommended for approval. The motion carried by a voice vote (6-0).
ORDINANCE PASSED BY THE COUNTY BOARD
On September 22nd the county board passed an ordinance with no discussion. The minutes have the motion as “A motion was made that the Ordinance be adopted. The motion carried by a voice vote.” The ordinance says the following:
The County Board of Supervisors of the County of Dane does ordain as follows:
ARTICLE 1. Unless otherwise expressly stated herein, all references to section and chapter numbers are to those of the Dane County Code of Ordinances.
ARTICLE 2. Section 15.47 is created to read as follows:
15.47 REDISTRICTING COMMISSION. (1) Composition. The Redistricting Commission shall consist of eleven (11) citizen members who are residents of Dane County and are appointed as provided herein.
(a) Appointments shall be made through an application process structured to recruit candidates from broad and diverse sections of the Dane County electorate.
(b) From those individuals who apply, the County Board Chair shall appoint an individual who is a resident of the City of Madison, a resident of a town in Dane County, and a resident of a city or village other than the City of Madison. Prior to making these appointments, the Chair shall confer with the City of Madison, the Dane County Towns Association, and the Dane County Cities and Villages Association regarding the appointment.
(c) The County Board Chair and the County Clerk shall each appoint four (4) additional citizen members from the pool of applicants that meet the eligibility criteria.
(d) Members of the commission shall serve from the time of appointment until completion of the redistricting process following the decennial census. A vacancy occurring during the redistricting process shall be filled consistent with this section.
(2) Eligibility Criteria. All members of the Commission shall be residents of Dane County and meet the following criteria:
(a) May not be a member of the Dane County Board, an employee of Dane County or a contract consultant;
(b) May not be a lobbyist registered with the Dane County Board;
(c) May not hold or have held an official position with a political party or partisan organization within the year prior to appointment;
(d) May not have participated in the State of Wisconsin 2011 partisan redistricting process;
(e) Must be impartial, which includes refraining from engaging in any political party activity or supporting the election or defeat of any candidate or referendum during their tenure on the commission, and at the time of appointment no intent to seek election to the office of county board supervisor in the spring primary and general election immediately following redistricting;
(f) Have a familiarity with maps;
(g) Disclose any potential conflict of interest in conformance with s. 9.60.
(3) The county clerk and the Planning & Development Department shall provide the commission with such staff assistance as may be required to carry out its functions.
(4) The commission shall use the following criteria and procedure to develop a proposed redistricting plan for consideration by the county board.
(a) Within 30 days after the population count by census block becomes available in printed form from the federal government or is published by a state agency, but no later than May 15th following the year of each decennial census, the commission shall propose a tentative county supervisory district plan and map. In preparing the tentative plan and map and in making any adjustments to the tentative plan, the commission shall be guided by the criteria set forth in Wis. Stat. s. 59.10(3)(b) and sub (b).
(b) The mapping process shall include opportunities for the public to submit map proposals for consideration.
(c) The commission shall develop up to three maps for consideration by the county board that divide the county into the number of districts determined by the county board. In the preparation of its plan for dividing the county into districts for the election of county board supervisors, the commission shall apply applicable state and federal law, which shall control in the event of any conflict with this ordinance. The commission shall also apply the criteria set forth in the following paragraphs to the maximum extent practicable. The following paragraphs shall be applied and given priority in the order in which they are listed.
1. Each district should represent the same population size, in accordance with the U.S. Constitution and state statutory requirements that districts be substantially equal in population, contiguous and compact. If difference in population are necessary to complete the maps, any such differences in population must be justified by the other criteria set forth in this section.
2. The map shall minimize the number of municipal boundaries crossed in each of the county districts.
3. Such districting plan shall be established in a manner that ensures the fair and effective representation of the diverse ethnic and racial populations in Dane County which are protected by the Federal Voting Rights Act.
4. The map shall take into consideration geography and natural boundaries such as rivers and lakes.
5. District lines shall keep intact neighborhoods and communities with established ties of common interest and association, whether historical, racial, economic, ethnic, religious or other.
6. Districts shall be drawn without regard to incumbency.
(d) If none of the maps submitted by the Commission are adopted by the county board, the maps shall be re-referred to the commission which shall have the opportunity to submit an amended map to the county board for reconsideration within the time frame set by state statute.
[EXPLANATION: This amendment creates the Dane County Redistricting Committee.]
It was signed by the County Executive on 9/26/2016 and published by the clerk on 10/3/2016.
AND HERE WE ARE
I’m feeling a bit more caught up – and you?
WHAT ABOUT THE CITY?
I haven’t yet seen anyone discussing this at the city either. A quick search in Legistar shows that there were some handouts at the Task Force on City Government Structure in 2018 and then the last time it appeared on a city agenda was in 2011.
CURRENT MAP
Here’s the current map of the districts. It’s hard to read so you’ll want to open this link.
You can see each of the districts in more detail here.
STAY TUNED!
Here at Forward Lookout this is one of the topics us geeks will be watching and reporting on in the next 2 years!
