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To: Rene Siracusa <br />Redistricting Commission Chair <br />From: Cheryl King <br />Subject: Final Report: Suggestions for the 2021 Redistricting Process <br />Date: December 11, 2011 <br />After having observed the redistricting process for the County of Hawaii in 2011, I <br />have the following suggestions for the next redistricting process in 2021. <br />1. Because of the late submission to the County Council of Mayor Kenoi's <br />nominees to the 2011 Redistricting Commission and the subsequent inability <br />of the council to properly vet the candidates by the required appointment <br />date, I suggest an amendment to the charter which would require that these <br />names be submitted to the council for consideration at least two or more <br />months before the candidates must be confirmed by the council. <br />2. Rather than the Mayor's appointing the Commission, the charter should be <br />amended to require each council member to submit the names of at least <br />three people in his or her district who have agreed to be on the Commission <br />if appointed. The mayor must pick one of those people to submit to the <br />Council for consideration and if that person is rejected, must submit another <br />from the list. If a council member does not submit three names, the mayor <br />may nominate additional people until three possible candidates are <br />identified. <br />3. . Funding for the Redistricting Commission should be appropriated at least <br />two years before the Redistricting Commission meets and may not be <br />diverted or used for other purposes to ensure that a timely contract with the <br />software company is negotiated. <br />4. The contract for the redistricting software should be negotiated and in place <br />well before the appointment of the commission so that the commission can <br />do its work in a timely manner. If the state cannot do this, the county should <br />consider its own contract. <br />S. Direct customer support for the use of the software by the redistricting <br />commissioners should be negotiated in the contract or be thought out before the <br />commissioners are appointed. The county should use some of its redistricting <br />funds to provide this if necessary. <br />COMM. 59.1 <br />