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who were elected to run at-large for four years in numbered positions. They were all elected by majority vote. There was no requirement that any person reside in a specific district. There were no blacks who were elected to one of the three commissioner positions. Of the population of 190, 000 in Mobile, Alabama back in 1970, 35% of the people in Mobile were black . Because of that, the court of appeals held that the at-large voting plan was unconstitutional. Because of the reasons that I previously explained. The blacks were not given access to the political process and the at-large plan because the whites held a majority they could always elect whites. . `The court ordered nine single member districts instead of three at-large seats. Under this scheme, it almost guarantees that at least a number of negroes would be elected based on ,their percentage of the population. Basically, so far, that is what I found to give you some guidelines on how to apply the provisions in the County Charter. Do you have any questions) can answer? I don ' t know whether I can answer them. Under our provision of the charter, we have six members elected at-large of the nine. Wait a minute, nine members who shall be elected at- large with terms of four years. Of the nine, six are required to reside in specific districts, right? Otherwise known as 'a _ plan. More questions? One parting shot, so to speak. As I say, we have to exercise some caution in using the racial cases, reapportionment cases, to apply here. The reasons may not be applicable. MRS. KOBAYASHI : Ms. Isbell , last week , talked about a reapportionment commission that. the Honolulu Charter .wanted. Is there also an apportionment commission for the state house? MR. ODA: Under the State Constitution there is a reapportionment commission for state offices. I don ' t have the specific statute, here. They have a new one now under their present,__ recent amendment to the State Constitu- tion. MRS. KOBAYASHI : The proposals have been according to the state house districts and that would be a change in the district representation. I suppose that we could put something in the charter that says there shall be a reapportionment commission also? MR. ODA: That can be done. There is a county that has a reapportionment commission. It is Honolulu. The other counties do not, at the present time. As Mr. Ishida and I were discussing this , maybe the concept of reapportion- ment should be left to a -separate- -body like a reapportionment commission to give it appropriate deliberation. This Charter Commission has so many things that it must do that reapporti'on- men'c, or redistricting , ' whatever can be left as a specialty for one group to look at in depth. - 31 -