Redistricting Delay

There seems to be a delay in obtaining approval of the new redistricting plan approved by the City Council a few months ago. The approved plan met Voting Rights Act requirements, which is the part the U. S. Justice Department is supposed to review. Since the 10% population requirement was met with room to spare it is hard to imagine why approval is being delayed. One has to wonder whether the city manager fumbled the ball in submitting the redistricting map to the DOJ, or if Council members representing districts 1 and 2 are interfering with the approval process for their own ends. After all, they strongly opposed the plan that was approved.

It should be pointed out that newly annexed city residents on June 30 stand to have no representative on City Council unless the redistricting plan is approved. If the matter drags out very long persons living in the annexed areas might not be able to run for City Council next year. As approved by City Council, Trudy Wade would represent much of the annexed western area, but without DOJ approval of the plan these residents will go without representation.

I realize that this is a stretch, but the way things are being dragged out it's not a sure bet the plan will be approved any time soon. The resolution of this issue will be watched very carefully at both federal and local levels.