Comm. 056 - 2021-12-16 (testimony) Common Cause Hawaii: Testimony for the Hawaii County Redistricting Commission December 17, 2021 Public Hearing

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*Common COMMUNICATION 056 Hawaii December 16, 2021 Hawaii County Redistricting Commission 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96729 (Via Email Only) RE: Testimony for the Hawaii County Redistricting Commission December 17, 2021 Public Hearing Dear Hawaii County 2021 Reapportionment Commission: Common Cause Hawaii is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of our representative democracy and ensuring a fair and transparent reapportionment and redistricting process. Common Cause Hawaii stands in strong support of a transparent reapportionment and redistricting process with an emphasis on providing the public with necessary information and tools to participate in the redistricting process, including drafting plans in service of their various communities. Given the large number of testifiers at the December 14 and December 16 public hearings, Common Cause Hawaii encourages the Commission to strongly consider the public testimonies and the testimonies of communities of interest in preparing revised county electoral maps. Redistricting maps that are publicly driven represent the will of the people and best reflect our democratic process and values. Common Cause Hawaii respectfully requests the Commission prioritize the thoughtful incorporation of feedback from the community acquired thorughout the course of the two public hearing proceedings in to a new 2021 Hawaii County redistricting plan. Similar to previous testimony, Common Cause Hawaii would also like to recommend that Charter Section 3-17(e) be amended to revise the Commission's public hearing process. While Common Cause Hawaii appreciates the Charter's mandate to hold at least one public hearing in each of the nine council districts prior to completing a draft of the redistricting plan, we believe that these hearings should be conducted once a draft plan has been created and approved by the Commission; not prior to completing a draft of the redistricting plan. By structuring the public hearing process in this manner, we believe that it will improve public participation and increase attendance at these meetings. More public hearings across Hawaii County may be had in lieu of the limited one public hearing in east Hawaii and one in west Hawaii. This process has demonstrated that the public has shown more of an interest in participating and commenting once a draft plan was provided for input. It would make sense for the Hawaii County Charter to be amended to provide at least one public hearing in each of the nine council districts be had upon completing a draft of the redistricting plan.