Supervisors set Nov. 9 hearing to consider redistricting plans
 |
| The current Mason District map, showing voting precincts. |
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 19 authorized a public hearing on redistricting to take place on Nov. 9.
The hearing will consider 64 plans submitted by an advisory committee and the public for adjusting the borders of the county’s supervisory districts – and possibly adding new ones.
The redistricting process is aimed at accommodating new Census data to ensure proportional representation. Currently, there are nine supervisory districts. By state law, Fairfax County may have as few as five or as many as 11.
The Redistricting Advisory Committee established by the board in June has proposed 24 new ways to carve up the county, including 13 plans with nine districts, 10 plans with 10 districts, and one plan with 11. Members of the public submitted 40 plans, including 19 with nine, 15 with 10, and six with 11 districts.
All 64 proposed maps can be viewed online.
Members of the public can provide input on redistricting at the public hearing in person, by phone, or by submitting video testimony. Written testimony can also be submitted to the Board of Supervisors by email.
Based on adjusted 2020 Census data, the county’s population grew by 69,139 persons during the last decade for a total population of 1,150,856.
Related story: Fairfax County board appoints committee charged with redrawing supervisory districts
That growth was uneven, however, Mason District had the lowest population growth (for a total population of 119,416), while Providence had the highest (139,268).
When the current district boundaries were established 10 years ago based on the 2010 Census, the population ranged from a low of 109,326 in Mason District to a high of 127,501 in the Mount Vernon District.
Under the Board of Supervisors’ legal and policy criteria for redistricting, the population deviation between the most and least populated districts must be less than 10 percent.
The Board of Supervisors is expected to adopt a new district map at its Dec. 7 meeting. The new districts will become effective immediately, subject to certification by the Virginia Attorney General in accordance with the Virginia Rights of Voters Act of 2021.
Note: The Fairfax County redistricting process is not related to the ongoing effort to redraw Virginia’s districts for the General Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives.
5 responses to “Supervisors set Nov. 9 hearing to consider redistricting plans”
Leave a reply
(1) A 9.9% population difference between districts would strike me as appallingly large, they should be as even as possible. One person one vote.
(2) Mason District didn't have the smallest population growth, it had the worst census participation rate. Our population growth has been huge in communities that had a very bad turnout rate.
You really gotta love how the second wokest county in the US (Loudoun country, right behind you!)
Also keeps monitoring population split to make sure it monitors and cancels out it's racial tendencies.
The only country on earth where they keep track whether you're Hispanic or Asian or White or Black.
Yeah yeah, we're all people, but let's just make sure.
Racists.
A large majority of nations all across the globe take census data on race and/or ethnicity. There is only one continent on which most don't.
Racism is thinking of or treating an individual or a group of people as inferior because of their race. Noticing they are different, honoring or celebrating it, and/or trying to prevent or ameliorate the damage that discrimination causes is NOT racism.
–kda
I would be great if we could give up Cullmore to another district and lessen the social and economic demands and demographic stress that's been imposed on Mason District.
Are you kidding, these are all of Penny Gross's constituents.