Redistricting a challenge at county level

When the Legislature approved new legislative districts in late September, Perkins County found itself in an odd position. 

For the past 10 years, all of Perkins County has been in the 44th District. 

But after the required redistricting of the state following last year’s census, Perkins County wound up in two separate legislative districts—the 44th and the 42nd. 

The southwest quarter of Perkins County, including Grant and Venango, where District 44 Senator Dan Hughes lives, remained in the 44th. 

The other three quarters of Perkins County moved in to the 42nd District. 

With the legislative districts set, county commissioners must also redistrict the county based on the 2020 census results. 

The county contracts with gWorks of Omaha for their geographic information system services. County Clerk Rita Long hired gWorks to assist with the county redistricting process. 

The company returned a draft map that equally apportioned each district with 953 residents +/- . 

The problem with that map was that Commissioner Ron Hagan’s District 2 spread across the north half of Perkins County, east to west, and excluded the City of Grant. 

Sid Colson’s District 1 included a little more than half of northeast quarter of the county and Steve Tucker’s District 3 included the southwest portion of the county from about Brandon west. 

Grant was divided up between District 1 and District 3. 

Commissioners were hoping to keep from having some of their constituents in Legislative District 42 and others in District 44. It appears keeping commissioner district boundaries similar to the way they are now may not be possible. 

One thing the commissioners did decide was that they are going to keep the road districts as they are now. There’s no requirement that calls for the road district to be the same as district boundaries. 

State statute requires that each commissioner district be “substantially equal.” 

Long said she continues to work with gWorks to develop a more workable district boundary map. 

MORE VOTING PRECINCTS 

She did inform commissioners that she will need to add at least one and possibly two voting precincts due to the change in legislature district boundaries. 

She said state statute does not allow a voting precinct to cross legislative districts. 

If she only needs to add one new precinct, she feels the fairgrounds building in Grant can accommodate all four. 

If she needs to go past that, she may need to add another polling location, which will require more ballot counting equipment and will increase election costs. 

SPECIAL MEETING OCT. 27 

Unsatisfied with the current proposal from gWorks, commissioners have scheduled a special meeting Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 8 a.m. to take up the matter again. 

State statute requires the county redistricting to be completed by Nov. 1.