Board invites residents to serve on county redistricting commission

County residents have an opportunity to assist the Board of Supervisors in redrawing supervisorial district boundaries that will be in place for the next 10 years.

The board is inviting county residents who meet certain qualifications to serve on a first-of-its-kind county redistricting commission.

Every ten years following each U.S. Census the county must redraw the boundaries of each of the five districts that elect members of the Board of Supervisors to ensure they have nearly the same number of residents and meet other criteria. Historically this task has been undertaken solely by the Board of Supervisors. A new County Charter approved by voters in November 2020 requires the board to appoint a redistricting commission to participate in the process.

The board this week approved an ordinance to establish the commission, which will recommend two possible redistricting plans in time for the board to enact a final plan in time to meet a Dec. 15 state deadline, which means the board must consider redistricting proposals in October and November. The census data needed to create the plans is not expected to be available until July or August,

The seven-member county redistricting commission will consist of two members appointed by the presiding judge of the Superior Court, one of whom will serve as commission chair. Each member of the Board of Supervisors will appoint one of the remaining five members and one alternate member. The board plans to appoint the commission and five alternate members on April 20. The commission will hold its first meeting in May.

Members of the commission must be registered to vote in the county. They may not:

* Be an elected county official or a family member, staff member, or paid campaign staff member of an elected county official.
* Have served as a staff member of an elected official during the past four years.
* Have served in elected office or campaigned as a candidate for an elected office during the past four years.
* Have served as a member of a political party central committee during the past four years.
* Have contributed more than $500 per year to any candidate for elective office during the past four years.

Commission members and alternate members will receive a stipend of $100 for each meeting they attend and reimbursement for mileage exceeding 20 miles round-trip from their home.

Applications signed in ink must be postmarked no later than April 5 or hand-delivered to the Clerk of the Board’s office by 5 p.m. on April 5. The application is available at https://cms.sbcounty.gov/Portals/45/AdvisoryRedistrictingCommissionApplication.pdf?ver=2021-02-12-090449-457 or by contacting the Clerk of the Board at (909) 387-4831.