Redistricting Walton County

[miznotebook]

The Walton County Redistricting Committee is holding a May 4 meeting in south Walton County to continue with the work of developing recommendations for boundaries of Walton County's five county commission and school districts. The committee members, appointed by the Walton County Board of County Commissioners and the Walton County School Board, are tasked with recommending boundaries that would make districts as nearly equal as possible in population, based on recently-obtained data from the 2010 U.S. Census. The public is invited to attend meetings of the committee and provide input. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. and take place at the South Walton Tourist Development Council meeting room at the corner of U.S. 98 and U.S. 311.

 

[wrobert]

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.

 

[scooterbug44]

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

 

[wrobert]

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.

 

[miznotebook]

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.

 

[wrobert]

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.

 

[miznotebook]

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

 

[Bob Hudson]

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.

 

[Andy A]

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.

 

[TechPyle]

Found a map showing the possible new boundaries.

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