Allegan County will go forward with revised five-district map for county commissioners

Arpan Lobo, The Holland Sentinel
·2 min read

GRAND RAPIDS — Allegan County will have five commissioners, down from seven currently, after the 2022 election.

The county’s apportionment commission adopted a five-member plan during a Friday, Nov. 5, meeting, which took place at the county headquarters in Allegan and was streamed on YouTube.

Commissioners voted to adopt a different map than the one previously approved in September, which was criticized for not having compact district lines.

The commission voted 4-1 to adopt the new district map, dubbed “Version 5C,” with Allegan County Clerk Bob Genetski being the lone dissenting vote.

Allegan District fire trucks drive past the crowd during the Allegan County Fair Parade Monday, Sept. 13, 2021, at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. On Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, the Allegan County apportionment commission adopted new county commission lines for the next decade.
Allegan District fire trucks drive past the crowd during the Allegan County Fair Parade Monday, Sept. 13, 2021, at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. On Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, the Allegan County apportionment commission adopted new county commission lines for the next decade.

Still, several residents offered public comment before the vote calling for the commission to adopt maps that either maintained seven districts or increased the number of districts in the county. Officials from Allegan County’s municipalities, including Saugatuck Township, had petitioned the commission to at least remain at seven seats.

The newly adopted lines create the following districts:

  • District 1 would be made up of Laketown Township, the city of Holland, Fillmore Township, Overisel Township and Salem Township.

  • District 2 would be made up of Dorr Township, Leighton Township, Wayland and Wayland Township.

  • District 3 would be made up of Saugatuck, Douglas, Saugatuck Township, Manlius Township, Fennville, Ganges Township, Casco Township, Clyde Township, Lee Township, and Cheshire Township.

  • District 4 would be made up of Heath Township, Monterrey Township, Hopkins, Hopkins Township, Valley Township, Allegan, Allegan Township and Trowbridge Township.

  • District 5 would be made up of Otsego, Otsego Township, Plainwell and Gun Plain Township.

Each district would average around 24,000 residents. The newly adopted lines compare more favorably for compactness and political competitiveness than the district map previously approved in September, according to county documents.

Moving down to five districts will mean at least two current commissioners will not return to the board after the next election cycle in 2022.

— Contact Arpan Lobo at alobo@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @arpanlobo.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Allegan County adopts five-district map for county commissioners