Push to redraw district lines continues -
Several commissioners say they want to wait until after the 2010 census and then look at redistricting in 2011
Naples Daily News (FL)
January 21, 2007
Author: Larry Hannan
A push is continuing to redraw the Collier County Commission districts despite a lack of excitement to the idea from the commissioners themselves.
Collier commissioners recently received a public petition by Collier Democratic Party Chairman Chuck Mohlke that calls for the redrawing of County Commission boundaries so that the five commission districts are nearly equal in population.
The League of Women Voters of Collier County and the Collier chapter of the NAACP also are backing this proposal.
Commissioners appeared cool to the idea, and said nothing after Mohlke made his argument at a recent commission meeting. Several commissioners later said they wanted to wait until after the 2010 census and then look at redistricting in 2011.
Chris Straton, president of the League of Women Voters, expressed frustration over the commissioners' lack of action.
"We were quite dismayed," she said. "There was no discussion on this issue at all."
Usually when an issue goes to the commission as a public petition, the commissioners look into the matter and bring it back at a future meeting, Straton said.
Straton said her organization would continue to push this issue.
"We would like the public to be more aware and speak out on this issue," Straton said. "This is a matter of basic fairness for voters and it will be an issue of priority for the League."
She hopes commissioners will reconsider and take up this issue.
Mohlke said he also will keep working on this without commission support, and may end up going to the U.S. Justice Department for help. The Justice Department gets involved in redistricting when it feels districts aren't fairly distributed.
"If you live in a populated district your vote counts less than in a less-populated district," Mohlke said.
County Commission districts can only be redrawn in odd-numbered years such as 2007 because elections for commission seats occur in even-numbered years. Mohlke said he went to the commissioners during their first meeting in 2007 because he didn't want to waste time.
According to numbers from the Collier Supervisor of Elections, there is a significant variance in the registered voters within the five commission districts.
District 2, represented by Frank Halas, has the most registered voters with 44,171. The district with the least population is District 5, represented by Jim Coletta, with a population of 29,297.
Mohlke believes some commission districts, such as District 4, which encompasses the city of Naples, are built out. Meanwhile, commissioner Districts 3 and 5 still have a lot of potential for growth.
He also believes the county needs to look at total population, not just registered voters.
"The estimated population here is now 360,000 people," Mohlke said. "With more people registering to vote there could be a difference of 30,000 voters between the most-populated and least-populated districts.
But commissioners said redistricting isn't a pressing issue.
"I haven't heard anyone bring up redistricting as an issue they care about," Coletta said. "Right now it doesn't make sense to do anything about it."
Redistricting now would be expensive and someone could sue, challenging the districts because the county would be basing the decision on its own data.
By waiting until 2011, redistricting can occur using data from the federal government, which isn't as likely to be challenged, Coletta said.
Commissioner Fred Coyle, whose District 4 represents the city of Naples and parts of East Naples, said redistricting is inevitable, but there's no sense doing it before 2011.
County Commission districts and population
District 1 representing East Naples and Marco Island: (Donna Fiala) 37,262
District 2 representing North Naples: (Frank Halas) 44,171
District 3 representing Golden Gate: (Tom Henning) 43,803
District 4 representing Naples: (Fred Coyle) 34,455
District 5 representing Golden Gate Estates: (Jim Coletta) 29,297
Section: Local News
Copyright (c) 2007 Naples Daily News
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