A screenshot of the proposed voter map designed by Robert Beham.
A screenshot of the primary map designed by Jacob Lee to maintain every metropolis in a single precinct. (Photograph Credit score: Fort Bend County Residents Advisory Redistricting Committee)
A screenshot of the second map designed by Jacob Lee to maintain every metropolis in a single precinct. (Photograph Credit score: Fort Bend County Residents Advisory Redistricting Committee)
A screenshot of the third map designed by Jacob Lee to create two Democratic precincts and two Republican precincts. (Photograph Credit score: Fort Bend County Residents Advisory Redistricting Committee)
The Fort Bend County Residents Advisory Redistricting Committee voted to advance 5 maps Monday night time to public hearings.
The general public hearings can be held this weekend and subsequent Monday. The committee will finally submit the maps to the Fort Bend County Commissioners Courtroom, which is able to make the ultimate resolution on which new voter map to undertake.
The county commissioners have been locked in a partisan battle over redistricting for a number of months.
In February, Republican state Rep. Matt Morgan reached out to commissioners in regards to the county’s voter precincts – a couple of fifth of that are out of compliance with state inhabitants necessities as a result of they embody too many or too few voters.
Republicans on the commissioners courtroom have pushed for the county to redraw its map utterly, moderately than merely fixing the voter precincts. They’ve claimed the present voter map, which favors Democrats, was illegally drawn based mostly on race.
County commissioners in July established a residents redistricting committee to assist design and suggest new voter maps.
Redistricting committee members designed all 5 of the maps they voted to advance Monday night time.
The most well-liked map among the many committee’s members was drawn to maintain as many residents as attainable of their present commissioner precincts.
Wendy Duncan and Ryan Yokubaitis, who have been appointed to the committee by Republican Commissioner Vincent Morales, designed that map.
Duncan stated about 15% of the county’s inhabitants could be moved to a brand new commissioner precinct beneath the map.
“We all know that HOA leaders, MUD leaders (and) metropolis leaders all develop relationships with their commissioners, so we wish to make sure the least quantity of motion among the many precincts,” she stated.
Democratic appointees Pamiel Gaskin, Richard Morrison and Dora Olivo voted alongside Duncan and Yokubaitis to advance the map.
Duncan stated she and Yokubaitis tried to design a map that may obtain bipartisan help from commissioners courtroom, to keep away from future redistricting if the courtroom’s political majority shifted sooner or later.
Republicans presently maintain a majority on the commissioners courtroom, after County Decide KP George switched events and joined the GOP in June.
George’s appointees to the redistricting committee designed the opposite 4 maps that have been superior by the committee Monday night time.
Robert Beham designed one of these maps, utilizing the tips established by the commissioners courtroom.
“I feel it is a balanced map,” he stated through the assembly. “Utilizing the 2020 numbers, we have now one Democratic precinct, one Republican (precinct) and two aggressive precincts.”
Jacob Lee, the committee’s chairman, designed the different three maps that have been chosen Monday night time.
Lee drew two of the maps to make sure that every metropolis could be contained in a single commissioner precinct. His different map was designed to create two majority Democratic precincts and two majority Republican precincts.
“It mainly represents how individuals of this county vote, in the event that they vote blue or crimson,” he stated of the third map.
The maps have been reviewed by 9 of the committee’s 10 members final night time.
Nicole Roberts, who was appointed by Democratic Commissioner Dexter McCoy, tried to attend the assembly nearly through a video name. Nonetheless, some members of the committee argued that permitting her to take part nearly might violate state regulation and finally voted to not permit her to take part remotely.
The general public hearings can be held on the following places and instances this weekend:
- The Missouri Metropolis Department Library at 1530 Texas Parkway Missouri Metropolis, Texas 77489 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday.
- The Sugar Land Department Library at 550 Eldridge Street Sugar Land, TX 77478 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
- The Cinco Ranch Department Library at 2620 Industrial Middle Blvd Katy, Texas 77494 from 1 p.m. to three p.m. Sunday.
- The Historic Fort Bend County Courthouse at 401 Jackson Road Richmond TX 77469 from 4 p.m. to six p.m. on Monday.
