HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM. 59.1 from C. KingTo: Rene Siracusa
Redistricting Commission Chair
From: Cheryl King
Subject: Final Report: Suggestions for the 2021 Redistricting Process
Date: December 11, 2011
After having observed the redistricting process for the County of Hawaii in 2011, I
have the following suggestions for the next redistricting process in 2021.
1. Because of the late submission to the County Council of Mayor Kenoi's
nominees to the 2011 Redistricting Commission and the subsequent inability
of the council to properly vet the candidates by the required appointment
date, I suggest an amendment to the charter which would require that these
names be submitted to the council for consideration at least two or more
months before the candidates must be confirmed by the council.
2. Rather than the Mayor's appointing the Commission, the charter should be
amended to require each council member to submit the names of at least
three people in his or her district who have agreed to be on the Commission
if appointed. The mayor must pick one of those people to submit to the
Council for consideration and if that person is rejected, must submit another
from the list. If a council member does not submit three names, the mayor
may nominate additional people until three possible candidates are
identified.
3. . Funding for the Redistricting Commission should be appropriated at least
two years before the Redistricting Commission meets and may not be
diverted or used for other purposes to ensure that a timely contract with the
software company is negotiated.
4. The contract for the redistricting software should be negotiated and in place
well before the appointment of the commission so that the commission can
do its work in a timely manner. If the state cannot do this, the county should
consider its own contract.
S. Direct customer support for the use of the software by the redistricting
commissioners should be negotiated in the contract or be thought out before the
commissioners are appointed. The county should use some of its redistricting
funds to provide this if necessary.
COMM. 59.1
6. Esri or whatever company is chosen to provide the redistricting software
should modify its software so that the name of each map that is designed is
clearly visible on the map.
7.Recommend to Esri that the redistricting software include an on -line tutorial
that each commissioner or the public can use to learn to design the maps.
8. Part of the money allocated to the Redistricting Commission should be used
to hire a professional to tape each meeting and public hearing and to make
them available in the same manner as the council and committee meetings.
This same person should also provide professional services for the video
conferencing.
9. The application for the Redistricting Commissioners should ask the
following:
-Are your computer skills sufficient so that you can learn the Esri or other
software program to participate in the design process?
-Do you have a computer at home or elsewhere that you can use?
-Are you willing to volunteer your time outside redistricting commission
meetings to design redistricting maps as appropriate?
-Do you have a flexible schedule, including support from your employer,
which would allow you to attend numerous meetings and public hearings,
both in the daytime and in the evening?
-Are you aware of where any current or previous county council members
live? If so, which ones?
I suspect you and the commissioners have already planned to include some of these
items. I would appreciate your consideration for those you have not touched upon.
Cheryl King
Kailua -Kona, Hawaii