Council confirms new ward boundaries
Sep. 14—Nearly a year after controversy over the reapportionment process, city councilors unanimously voted Tuesday to ratify new ward boundaries for the remainder of the decade.
No ward will gain more than 2,501 residents. Only Ward 7, around the University of Oklahoma, and Ward 6, in northeast core Norman, will give more residents to other wards than are added, according to city projections.
The changes to the wards are modest compared to the changes proposed by a former reapportionment committee in 2021.
The city's Reapportionment Ad Hoc committee had to redraw the council wards after former Norman mayor Breea Clark disbanded the 2021 reapportionment committee after two council members alleged gerrymandering by committee members.
Ward 1 committee member Larla Turner last year had called Ward 5 councilor Rarchar Tortorello, who attended the rally outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, "dangerous to the ward," and she said the largely rural ward was populated with "white supremacists." Tortorello later said Turner's comments were evidence of partisanship and racial bias and he said that Turner should not be allowed to serve on a city committee in the future.
Ward 3 councilor Kelly Lynn, a self-proclaimed conservative, also took issue with the proposed map last year because he said he would lose swing precincts to Ward 8 that were critical in his election to the council.
On top of gerrymandering allegations, the city was already behind schedule for reapportionment because of a delay in the release of the 2020 census report due to COVID-19.
Lynn and Tortorello said nothing at the Tuesday meeting, and voted for the reapportionment.
"I appreciate the process," said Ward 7 councilor Stephen Holman. "It's one we do every 10 years, but it's necessary."
With the redraw, Ward 8 councilor Matt Peacock was drawn out of his ward. Ward 8 comprises the north-central part of core Norman.
Peacock, who is running as an independent for the Cleveland County District 1 commissioner seat, will still serve as councilor until July 2023 if not elected in November.
"It was a data-driven decision, and I'm at peace with the results," Peacock said of the reapportionment.
The wards were redrawn with 2020 Census data, which shows the city gained more than 17,000 residents from 2010-2020. As of 2020, the city's total population was 128,026, according to Census data.
Holman estimated Norman has now exceeded 130,000 residents if its growth has kept pace. It also exceeded Tulsa's growth rate over the decade.
Norman is part of the Oklahoma City metro area, which was one of only 14 cities that gained 100,000 residents or more.
"That impact, it really has an effect on the entire metropolitan area," Holman said.
While Holman spoke well of the city's growth, he also said with growth come "bigger city issues" including crime, homelessness and housing affordability. Norman's violent and serious property crime rate in 2021 had exceeded that of 2020 by the end of October.
The city also dealt with increased complaints and plights about homelessness that year.
Holman said the council is tasked with addressing these issues as the city grows.
"Let's keep an eye on this," he said.
Mayor Larry Heikkila was not at the meeting.
