As you know, the Board of Supervisors has started the process of redistricting/reapportionment, a federally mandated process by which we equalize the number of people in each of Loudoun’s election districts.
The redistricting process is ongoing, so please check the county’s Web site for up-to-date information at www.loudoun.gov/redistricting.
The Board of Supervisors set the criteria being used to design the revised districts. Each district needs to be redrawn to within 5% of 36,284, the number of residents in each district if the county’s population were divided equally among eight electoral districts.
The Board is scheduled to discuss redistricting scenarios/plans at its February 1 meeting. The Board will also take input from citizens at its March 7 public hearing. The Board is expected to adopt a final redistricting plan in spring 2011, followed by mandatory submission to the U.S. Department of Justice for pre-clearance. Sixty days later, the county should receive approval and new voter cards will be prepared and distributed for the primary election.
The public is also welcome to submit redistricting scenarios. Any plan submitted by the close of business on Friday, January 28, will be posted on the Loudoun County website and forwarded to the Board as part of the staff report for the March 7 public hearing. The public may submit proposals or comment at any time prior to a decision by the Board on a redistricting plan, which is tentatively expected in April 2011.
As you can see, changes in population growth mean that each district needs to be redrawn. When the census data comes out in mid-February, the Board will direct staff to run selected scenarios against the census numbers. The Board will select scenarios at its February 1 meeting. Currently in the Sugarland Run District, there are 6 precincts. I am requesting street maps for each precinct that we can send to you if you need to see which electoral district you are in.
In Eastern Loudoun, the Sterling, Sugarland Run and Potomac districts don’t have enough population to remain as three separate districts, so they will need to be combined into two districts. The population density north of Route 7 suggests that portions of Sugarland Run and Potomac could become one district. Most existing scenarios to date have the Mirror Ridge and Seneca precincts incorporated into District 1 (with Sterling); some have Sugarland Run South incorporated into District 1 as well. I feel strongly about keeping “communities” together for this process and will be working diligently to bring about that result.
I would like to hear your feedback and comments, and I in turn will keep you posted about the redistricting process. Thank you for your assistance.
All the best,
Susan Klimek Buckley
Vice Chairman, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors
Supervisor, Sugarland Run District
