By FRED SWIFT
Redistricting of congressional and state legislative districts as a result of the 2020 census has been in the news lately. And, the process will apply to Hamilton County commissioner and council districts and city and town council districts as well.
Based on growing populations, changes are likely in most local districts. For example, there is interest in Fishers to create a separate commissioner district from the present map, which has Fishers and Noblesville in the same district. With a population of nearly 100,000, Fishers would not be entitled to one of the three districts into which the county is divided since the total county population is now 347,000.
However, if the Southeastern School District of Delaware, Fall Creek and Wayne townships was to become a district, it would have a population of about one-third the county’s total.
Currently, Clay Township is a commissioner district. But its population of about 100,000 is short of one third of the county’s total. This will likely mean a portion of southern Washington Township will be needed to reach the ideal number.
This would mean Noblesville and the entire remainder of the county would become one district.
Four county council members are elected from districts, and three others are elected at-large. The four districts will likely require some changes to the benefit of districts in the southern portion of the county.
City and town councils are also composed based on population, and in several cases will need to be adjusted. Newest areas of Noblesville, for example, will have more representation with redrawing of council district lines.
Apparently, little has been done thus far in public meetings to approach the matter of redistricting. Municipal elections will be held in 2023 whereas the next county elections are scheduled in the spring of 2022, thereby requiring action before the end of this year.