Maricopa County seeks feedback on supervisorial redistricting maps

PHOENIX — It’s time again for the boundaries of Maricopa County’s supervisorial districts to be adjusted and the Board of Supervisors is asking for public comment on five draft maps.

“We believe the five options presented by the Elections Department satisfy all legal requirements, but we know that any change to political boundaries can have wide-ranging impacts, so we want to hear what residents, cities and towns, schools and businesses and other community groups have to say about these options,” Chairman Bill Gates said in a press release.

The draft maps can be viewed on the county’s website. Gates said the Board of Supervisors would take comments into consideration before approving a final map by the deadline of July 1.

The redistricting process is required after each decennial census per state law, the county said, but the process was pushed back to this summer due to the Census delay amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The county began accepting public comment online on Friday and a public hearing will be held on June 20 to discuss redistricting methodology and initial public feedback, according to the release.

Before then, Supervisor Steve Gallardo will hold information sessions June 15 at the Alhambra High School lecture hall and June 16 at the South Mountain High School cafeteria. The sessions are scheduled for 6-8 p.m.

Among the goals of the process were districts being drawn with no more than a 5% difference in population, being geographically compact and contiguous as well as respecting communities of interest to the extent practicable.

The county said board members hired outside legal counsel to provide guidance for them and the Elections Department on the process.

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