HomeMy WebLinkAboutCurrent Charter Section 3-17
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.)