Current Charter Section 3-17 - Laserfiche WebLink

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HAWAI‘I COUNTY CHARTER Section 3-17 Section 3-17. County Redistricting Commission. (a) There shall be a county redistricting commission which shall establish the boundaries of the council districts. (b) The initial redistricting commission shall consist of seven members, two of whom shall be residents of the combined judicial districts of North and South Hilo, one from the judicial district of Puna, one from the judicial district of KaÒ, one from the combined judicial districts of North and South Kona, one from the combined judicial districts of North and South Kohala, and one from the judicial district of Hmkua. The members shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council in the manner prescribed in Section 13-4. (c) Each subsequent redistricting commission shall consist of nine members. One member shall be a resident of each council district as established by the previous redistricting commission. The members shall be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council in the manner prescribed in Section 13-4. (d) The year 1991 and every tenth year thereafter shall be redistricting years. The redistricting commission shall be appointed and confirmed by July 1 of the year immediately preceding the redistricting year, and shall file a cting plan with the county clerk by December 31 of the redistricting year. A report shall be filed with the redistricting plan providing an explanation of the commissionÓs reasoning for the plan and how the plan complies with the criteria provided in subsection (g). The redistricting commission shall be dissolved after the filing of the redistricting plan. (e) Prior to completing a draft of the redistricting plan, the commission shall hold at least one public hearing in each of the nine council districts. Upon completion of a draft redistricting plan, the commission shall hold at least one public hearing in east HawaiÒi and one in west HawaiÒi. (f) The county clerk shall furnish all necessary technical and secretarial services for the redistricting commission. The council shall appropriate necessary funds to enable the commission to carry out its duties. (g) The redistricting commission shall adhere to the following criteria in establishing the boundaries of the council districts: (1) No district shall be drawn to unduly favor or penalize a person or political faction; (2) Insofar as possible, districts should be contiguous and com (3) District lines shall, where possible, follow permanent and features; (4) Districts shall have approximately equal resident populations as required by applicable constitutional provisions. (h) The district boundaries as established by the redistricting commission shall be in effect at the first regularly scheduled council election following the filing of the plan and for any subsequent council election. The district boundaries in effect prior to the filing of the redistricting plan shall remain in effect during the duration of the term of all councilmembers elected or appointed to represent such districts until the expiration of the full term of such councilmembers, including any election held to fill an unexpired term under Section 3-5. (1990, Prop. 1, sec. 3; 2010, Prop. 5, sec. 1; 2010, Prop. 7, sec. 6.)