The Valparaiso City Council was presented with a number of options, when it comes to their redistricting plan. Six maps were submitted by the public, in addition to the one drawn up by the council's co-redistricting coordinators, although one was later withdrawn.
Attorney Brian Bosma says that's the most he's ever seen in his 30 years of redistricting experience. "They were good. They were well thought-out and impressive, in all honesty," Bosma told the city council Monday.
He said the coordinators' map was largely able to balance the districts' populations without splitting precincts. "Overall, a 5.28-percent deviation, no precinct splits. It's more compact than your current map, and the cores of your prior districts are maintained and including each incumbent in their original district," Bosma explained.
But the creators of the other maps felt the coordinators' map was lacking in some areas. Barbara Domer it would remove competition from the council's fifth district, by moving a majority Democratic precinct into the already-Democratic first district.
"The consultant's city council map allows for only one politically competitive district within the city, whereas my map submission allows for two politically-competitive districts. That's districts three and five," Domer said.
Meanwhile, Joe Dauginas said his map tried to make each district reflective of the citywide racial makeup, as well as politically competitive. "This creates an exciting race, a challenging race. It gives an opportunity for everyone," Dauginas said.
But some residents were concerned about the process, as well as the end result. Domer called on council members to establish a citizen-led commission to oversee future redistricting efforts, similar to what the council called on the state to do in 2016.
"As the city leaders of 2016 declared via resolution their support of redistricting reform at the state level, current city leaders can model the 2016 resolution in support of similar reforms at the city level," Domer said.
While council members thanked residents for their submissions, they generally felt that the coordinators' map did the best job of solving the main problem with the current map: the deviation among districts. A final vote is scheduled for November 14.
