Redistricting Walton County

If things go the way they appear to be headed from this last meeting, south Walton will enjoy the representation of three commissioners with the new boundaries instead of the current two. Ken is going to get the current and proposed draft maps on the county website soon so you can see the difference.

Can we change it so the people represented by those commissioners are the only ones who get to vote for them?

Start a petition and get it on the ballot. I think it would be a great idea. Just going to take some work to get it passed.

I believe what is being discussed here is changing from "at-large" election of commissioners? Wrobert, is it not true that if this change were made, with the proposed plan there would be only one district where the commissioner would be elected only by voters south of the bay--and that commissioners for the other two districts you spoke of would be elected not only by voters south of the bay but by those living in other areas of the county that would be part of those districts? I believe this is right and I think it is important to clarify.

Walton County currently elects all constitutional officials at-large. The only thing these districts currently do is restrict where candidates live. They are being changed to comply with Florida statute just like representative districts are changing all over this country after the census.

I think I understand that part, but could you please give a little more detail about the petition that you referred to.

You are correct. In the plan only one district resides solely South of the Bay just as it is today.

This plan creates a "Beach Commissioner" due to its boundaries, basically following a boundary that is consistent with "South of HWY 98" from Inlet Beach to Sandestin with only a few exceptions.

It is a mistake, IMHO, to change from an "at-large" vote to one of only voting for a Commissioner from a particular district.

1) You stand the chance of pitting one district against another. It can stalemate or slow the function of the Commission.
2) Your contact with Commissioners from other districts is the same as when you call Congressmen from other areas. Its basically ignored because you are not a vote.
3) There is no sensible reason to change a system that works quite well for a majority of the population but negates the effect of "power brokering" by one group or another. I like the idea of being able to contact Commissioners from other districts and knowing at least I have a chance of being heard because my vote for them counts.
4) Going to a vote for only one Commissionser when you can now vote for five is a bad idea.

Found a map showing the possible new boundaries.

http://www.co.walton.fl.us/DocumentView.aspx?DID=3476

It is a mistake, IMHO, to change from an "at-large" vote to one of only voting for a Commissioner from a particular district.

1) You stand the chance of pitting one district against another. It can stalemate or slow the function of the Commission.
2) Your contact with Commissioners from other districts is the same as when you call Congressmen from other areas. Its basically ignored because you are not a vote.
3) There is no sensible reason to change a system that works quite well for a majority of the population but negates the effect of "power brokering" by one group or another. I like the idea of being able to contact Commissioners from other districts and knowing at least I have a chance of being heard because my vote for them counts.
4) Going to a vote for only one Commissionser when you can now vote for five is a bad idea.

All good points, but a politician who does not need a certain area's votes to get elected typically does not care all that much about that group.

I'm okay not voting for the senator from Tennessee, because I know they care very little for my opinion and interests with so many other votes are out there.

If all commissioners equally represent the voters of Walton County, why do we even have districts?

You have to have districts to allow for representation according to population distribution, as designated by the census. It is one way, and there may be others just as good, to assure a citizen is given someone to whom they can complain or praise regarding their government so that their opinion may be passed along to the other elected officials. Hopefully, if your suggestion bears merit, it will be given consideration by all Commission members.

It seems that at least one person does not like any of the current plans for redistricting. Brenda Rees placed a letter in the Walton Sun that outlines her objections and how much effort she put into drawing up her own map. http://www.waltonsun.com/news/-6836--.html

Of course with Mrs. Rees also being the wife of a former commissioner it could be that she has some other motives but who knows?

TechPyle, I don't see where Mr Rees ran for any County seat since his defeat by Commissioner Brannon. So if you could explain what you mean I would appreciate it.

The major problem with the current map is that while it does add a third commissioner to the South Walton mix, it does that by carving out the northern half of Sandestin and adding it to DeFuniak-based District 4, and put's the core base of District 1 firmly in Freeport, with Point Washington and the north half of Rosemary lumped in with the Freeport district as a minority voice. We may have parts of three districts south of the bay, but we go from having two South Walton based districts to just one despite our huge population increase.

Does anyone really feel Burnt Pine Residents have more common interest with southwest DeFuniak Springs residents than they do the people living south of 98 in Sandestin? Or that they should have to drive through two other districts to get to their Commissioners' office? Or that one commissioner should can handle the entire beach from county line to county line?

The proposed map is not a good thing for South Walton.

This is going to get really interesting! If nothing else perhaps district 5 serves as the skeleton for the breakaway county of South Walton, not to be confused with south Walton or $outh Walton.

I've looked at this map a few times and am confused. Does anyone have the population numbers for the area south of Choctawhatchee Bay. It seems to me that this area could be covered with two districts and not need three. The skip across the bay seems odd to me?

It seems that at least one person does not like any of the current plans for redistricting. Brenda Rees placed a letter in the Walton Sun that outlines her objections and how much effort she put into drawing up her own map. http://www.waltonsun.com/news/-6836--.html

Of course with Mrs. Rees also being the wife of a former commissioner it could be that she has some other motives but who knows?

Crap like this is why I am not at all concerned about Mr. Rees running again.

Brenda loves maps and wants the new districts to be geographically logical, not gerrymandered nonsense.

The Redistricting Committee meets again tomorrow (May 25) at 2 p.m. at the Freeport Community Center.

TechPyle, I don't see where Mr Rees ran for any County seat since his defeat by Commissioner Brannon. So if you could explain what you mean I would appreciate it.

Bob,
That was a mistake on my part I confused one former commissioner with another sorry about that. I tried to edit my post and change it before anyone noticed but I was to late.

Crap like this is why I am not at all concerned about Mr. Rees running again.

Brenda loves maps and wants the new districts to be geographically logical, not gerrymandered nonsense.

I do not know Mrs. Rees personally and she may indeed love maps. Her involvement may be just her trying to create a better way of dividing the county into districts but anytime someone that has political ties begins by sending a letter to the editor before presenting their proposal it makes me suspicious. Of course I am jaded and may be completely wrong. I guess that when we get to see her proposal we can all make our own decision based on how she drew the boundaries.

I've looked at this map a few times and am confused. Does anyone have the population numbers for the area south of Choctawhatchee Bay. It seems to me that this area could be covered with two districts and not need three. The skip across the bay seems odd to me?

From another thread
Bob Hudson wrote
"Well the numbers just aren't there for two districts with boundaries South of the Bay and inter coastal waterway. Population within that geographic area is just over 18,000. Population would have needed to have grown by 4,000 more people for it to work.

The line for district 5 will shift west of its current boundary to around Topsail for the number to work. District 1 will encompass all of the area south of 98 along 30A to Topsail.

The Miramar Beach area was the area with the greatest growth since 2000. "


With only 18,000 people south of the intercoastal I agree with you that there should only be two districts south of the bay. One completly inside of south Walton and another maybe south of Highway 20 or including Freeport. But the census blocks may not work out that way.

Of course this would mean only two commissioners to represent south Walton and the maps shown here do have three commissioners with some interest in south Walton. I guess it depends on what you want. Two districts that are almost completly in south Walton or three districts two of which do not have much interest in south Walton.

To add to the equation for boundaries will be the creation of a new voting precinct at Sandestin. The SOE shared that with me today. Long rumored but now to be a reality. Miramar beach has grown to large.

Two commissioners to represent South Walton, or one commissioner to represent South Walton and two others to have minority members of their district living south of the bay and have to drove through other districts to visit their commissioners offices, two school board members whose only schools are north of the bay even though they represent a few thousand voters south of the bay.

And for all the talk of only having 18,800 of the 22,000 people needed to create two core districts in the south of the county, the north of the county has 4/5ths of the districts and only 3/5ths of the population. Why do the citizens of South Walton have to fight so damn hard for every park, every school, every district seat when South Walton provides the majority of the tax base and has seen the vast majority of the growth?

And the precincts...a whole other issue. Thirty vs. four. It only matters in terms of Republican and Democratic political committees -- but explains why the interests of north Walton residents often supercede those of south Walton residents.

I do not know Mrs. Rees personally and she may indeed love maps. Her involvement may be just her trying to create a better way of dividing the county into districts but anytime someone that has political ties begins by sending a letter to the editor before presenting their proposal it makes me suspicious. Of course I am jaded and may be completely wrong. I guess that when we get to see her proposal we can all make our own decision based on how she drew the boundaries.

First, I'll note that your post is of a different font than is standard to the board, but just happens to be the default font for most email programs.

Second, I'll put forth that Brenda, Lane, and their family are good friends of mine.

Finally, I'll point out that the overall issue of the letter seemed to be the lack of notification for the south end of the county. I do realize that legally it only has to be published in the newspaper of record, but I have yet to find the meeting listed on the counties website. In fact finding the various types of soil throughout the county is easier than the proposed districts map. Further, I remember one of the committee members of the redistricting board advising users of this board that filling out the census shouldn't be done and was probably some sort of government conspiracy.

The fact is that this map actually removes a commissioner from the south end. Districts 1 and 4 are clearly weighted so that north end candidates will be able to file for them without the legal improprieties of the past when mailboxes popped up on quit claim deeded land the night before the filing deadline.

I haven't seen Mrs. Rees's map, but I look forward to examining it at tomorrow's meeting.

Two commissioners to represent South Walton, or one commissioner to represent South Walton and two others to have minority members of their district living south of the bay and have to drove through other districts to visit their commissioners offices, two school board members whose only schools are north of the bay even though they represent a few thousand voters south of the bay.

And for all the talk of only having 18,800 of the 22,000 people needed to create two core districts in the south of the county, the north of the county has 4/5ths of the districts and only 3/5ths of the population. Why do the citizens of South Walton have to fight so damn hard for every park, every school, every district seat when South Walton provides the majority of the tax base and has seen the vast majority of the growth?

And the precincts...a whole other issue. Thirty vs. four. It only matters in terms of Republican and Democratic political committees -- but explains why the interests of north Walton residents often supercede those of south Walton residents.

I used to believe that we should have more representation and more money spent south of the bay because of the tax base. I don't believe that any longer. The County should be representing the entire county and not just the golden goose. If you want to see that change then I would suggest we create our own county. Just my opinion.