The body that will redraw Topeka City Council districts is essentially solving 'a math problem'

The challenge facing the Topeka Redistricting Commission is "essentially a math problem," deputy city attorney Mary Feighny told that body last week.

That commission met last week and this to begin tackling the task of drawing new boundary lines for Topeka City Council districts, said Gretchen Spiker, the city's communications director.

City code mandates that the city implement a redistricting plan two years after each federal census is taken. The last census was in 2020, so the city must act this year.

The process involved calls for a nine-person commission of citizen volunteers to draw new boundary lines after being picked by council members who represent the city's nine districts. Each commissioner must live in the district he or she represents.

Redistricting commissioners last week viewed two draft proposal maps city employees created to help start the conversation. Commissioners may also create their own maps.

The current district map and the two draft proposals can be found on the city's website.

Partisan politics aren't allowed to enter into the city's redistricting process, said city attorney Amanda Stanley.

This year's city redistricting process comes after the Kansas Supreme Court last May upheld a controversial redistricting map approved by state lawmakers. Critics suggested legislators engaged in gerrymandering by moving Lawrence from the 2nd District into the sweeping, conservative 1st Congressional District dominated by western Kansas.

Here's who was picked for Topeka City Council redistricting commission

These nine people are on the city redistricting commission:

• Michelle Hoferer, whom commissioners unanimously chose last week as chairwoman. She was appointed to the commission by District 9 Councilman Mike Lesser.

• Former Topeka City Councilman John Nave, who was appointed by District 4 Councilman Tony Emerson. Nave served on the last city redistricting commission, in 2012. Emerson initially appointed Fred Martinez to this year's commission, then replaced him with Nave, so Martinez could focus on family-related concerns.

• Retired Kansas Securities Commissioner Jeff Wagaman, appointed by District 7 Councilman Neil Dobler.

• Marcus Clark, pastor of Love Fellowship Church, appointed by District 5 Councilman Brett Kell, who beat Clark in last November's general election for that district's seat.

• Jessica Porter, appointed by District 1 Councilwoman Karen Hiller.

• Laura Pederzani, appointed by District 2 Councilwoman Christina Valdivia-Alcala.

• Teresa Leslie-Canty, appointed by District 3 Councilwoman Sylvia Ortiz.

• Vicki Arnett, appointed by District 6 Councilwoman Hannah Naeger.

• Bill Hill, appointed by District 8 Councilman Spencer Duncan.

Here's how the process works

The redrawing of council district boundaries will result in hundreds — and perhaps thousands — of Topeka voters living in a different council district.

The city's process is targeted at ensuring the nine council districts each contain one-ninth of the official city population, give or take 2.5%. Council districts are required to follow Shawnee County voting precinct lines.

Using the census numbers provided to the city, each district should be as close as possible to 14,063 people, and can be plus or minus 352 people.

Figures provided by the city show that populations of four council districts — 3, 4, 5 and 8 — are within 352 people of 14,063.

Council district boundaries also must follow Shawnee County voting precinct lines. Redistricting commissioners said meeting that requirement made their job in 2012 particularly tough.

What's next for Topeka redistricting committee?

The redistricting commission invites community members to provide input throughout the redistricting process.

The commission will have a public hearing at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, in the Holliday Building at 620 S.E. Madison.

Input may also be emailed to the city clerk’s office at cclerk@topeka.org.

Commissioners have the option of scheduling and holding further meetings after that.

The map or maps proposed by the redistricting commission will be considered by the mayor and city council.

They may adopt the recommendations of the redistricting commission in whole or in part, or reject all the commission’s recommendations and re-establish boundaries as they see fit.

New boundaries will take effect Jan. 1.

Redistricting commission meetings are being live-streamed on the city's Facebook page, the city's website and Cox Cable TV Channel 4.

For more information about redistricting, go to the city website.

Tim Hrenchir can be reached at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Commission works to redraw Topeka City Council district boundary lines