August 25, 2021 – Washington Co., WI – After a 20-minute presentation from Washington County data and GIS manager Eric Damkot the County Executive Committee, on a voice vote, selected Plan 3 for an upcoming redistricting map.
It was February 12, 2020 when the full County Board voted 15-7 to reduce the size of the board by the year 2022 from 26 supervisors to 21. The proposed map will have an impact on the April 2022 election which not only includes supervisory seats but also the number of different versions of ballots that will need to be composed by the county clerk.
Every 10 years following the census the supervisory districts are adjusted based on population.
According to Damkok the census data was supposed to be released in March 2021 and the County Board would have 180 days to adopt a tentative plan, select municipalities and wards and then adopt a final redistricting plan before circulating papers started December 1, 2021.
Because of a delay from the governor’s office the census redistricting data was released August 12, 2021. Now the County Board must still select municipalities and wards and adopt a final plan, however the timeline will be crushed into the next 90 days.
There was a lot of intense data that went into the redistricting process. Three plans with maps and boundary outlines were presented to the executive committee.
Some of the conversation from county supervisors included a shoutout from Supervisor Peter Sorce who felt the process was unfair and politically motivated to get rid of five supervisors.
Damkot said, “We didn’t map supervisors until after the districts were drawn. There were no outside influences.”
Supervisor Lois Gundrum said, “By keeping 5 full districts in West Bend that gives 25% of voting power on the board and townships could lose power. That’s a concern.”
Supervisor Pam Konrath echoed that statement. “Smaller townships do lose their voice,” she said.
The next meeting on the issue is September 8, 2021.
