Brooksville, Fla.-Redistricting plans for political boundary changes may cost Hernando County taxpayers more with different boundaries.
After heated debate on redistricting, Hernando County Commissioners directed county planning director, Ron Pianta, to reconfigure county commissioner districts for a new presentation at their December 3rd meeting. Last minute changes were made to the redistricting maps after candidate, Jason Sager objected to plans approved earlier at a joint-session workshop of county commissioners and school board members.
According to Hernando County Supervisor of Elections Annie Williams using different districts for school board and commissioners will require additional mailings from her office. Williams indicated new voter identification cards must be sent to every voter who experiences a change in their voting districts after redistricting plans are made final.
"It will cost my office for additional mailings," Williams said. "My budget has already been slashed by former county administrator."
The NAACP also presented a plan to commissioners for consideration. Their plan was based civil rights legislation of "one person, one vote" under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. Local NAACP maps were drawn without political consideration. Their plan came within one percent population difference in all five districts using demographics based solely on population.
County legal staff explained the practice of gerrymandering at the joint-session workshop to brief the respective boards on their obligations. Gerrymandering by definition is a practice in redistricting to create partisan or incumbent-protected districts to give political advantage to one group or person.
"I will request additional money for my budget from Hernando County Commissioners for the cost of mailing voter identification cards," Williams said.
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