New Hanover County could get a second state senator as a result of this year’s redrawing of state legislative districts, a process set to begin in the state capital.
The 2010 U.S. Census determined that the county added 42,360 people since 2000, bringing the population to 202,667. Because it grew more than many other parts of the state, it now has about 12,000 more people than each state Senate district is supposed to have after redistricting, the once-a-decade process of redrawing the state’s 120 House districts and 50 Senate districts based on population fluctuations identified by the census.
Based on the statewide population, the ideal number of people in each Senate district is now 190,710, according to information available on the General Assembly website, www.ncleg.net.
Today, all of New Hanover County is represented by Sen. Thom Goolsby, a Wilmington lawyer in his first term. But for state House and Senate districts, the N.C. Supreme Court has said that no district is supposed to deviate from the average district population size by more than 5 percent. New Hanover’s population is more than 6 percent greater than the ideal population for each Senate district. That means at least a small percentage of New Hanover County voters may get drawn into another district.
“It’s always nice to have extra votes and have a little more clout,” state Rep. Danny McComas, R-New Hanover, the longest-serving member of the Wilmington area’s state delegation, said of the possibility of getting another senator.
Goolsby didn’t say whether he would rather represent all of New Hanover County himself, or have some help. He said he’s “not worried about what’s good for me.”
“My interest is only in seeing that constitutional districts that represent the common interests of the people in those areas are drawn,” he said, echoing statements of other state GOP leaders who will guide the redistricting process this year.
As soon as this week, House and Senate redistricting committees are expected to meet to begin the complex and typically controversial process. Republicans, because they control the House and Senate, will control redistricting. The new legislative maps will be used for the first time in the 2012 elections.
Sen. Bill Rabon, a first-term Republican senator from Brunswick County, is on the Senate redistricting committee. Rep. Carolyn Justice, a Republican who represents Pender and part of northern New Hanover County in the House, is a member of the House committee. She will take the place of McComas, who was originally named to the committee.
Rabon’s current district – Brunswick, Columbus and Pender counties – is also too large now because of the combined population growth in those counties the past decade. District 8 now includes 217,746 people – 14 percent, or about 27,000 people, more than the ideal district population count.
Exactly how the General Assembly will redraw district boundaries to account for the increases is anyone’s guess. Local legislators didn’t want to speculate too much about how new districts may be drawn.
Rabon, a Southport veterinarian, said he believed his home county of Brunswick, with a population of 107,431 people, wouldn’t get split up.
“Brunswick is going to be whole,” he said. “It’s just a matter of who we’re going to be with.”
In the House, New Hanover will keep at least three seats, as it has now. After redistricting, each House district is supposed to have about 79,462 people.
Today, District 19, McComas’ district, which includes the three beach towns and parts of eastern Wilmington and southern New Hanover County, has more than 88,000 people, meaning his district will have to be redrawn to include about 9,000 fewer residents. McComas hinted at how he would like his new district to look.
“Having my choice, I would very much want to keep representing the beach communities, which I have always represented and I have a keen interest in and a passion for,” McComas said.
Rep. Susi Hamilton’s District 18 includes downtown Wilmington and parts of northern New Hanover County to the Pender County border. That district grew during the past 10 years, but must add about 6,600 residents to get to the ideal district population.
Hamilton said she didn’t know how the political makeup of her district might change. She said she considered herself a moderate Democrat who did well among Republican voters in 2010. And if she had to decide today, she would run for re-election in 2012.
Hamilton also said she didn’t believe the Republicans in charge of the process would try to break up the large contingent of African-American, typically Democratic, voters in her district.
“It would be wrong,” she said.
In drawing districts, lawmakers must abide by certain rules required by law and the courts, including protecting minority voting strength and minimizing the division of counties.
District 16, held by Rep. Carolyn Justice, a Pender County Republican, includes a swath of northeastern New Hanover, along with all of Pender.
That district grew by nearly 38 percent during the past decade to 93,684 residents, meaning it will have to shed about 14,000 people through redistricting. But Pender County, with a population of 52,217, isn’t large enough to get its own House district, so part of a neighboring county would make up the difference if Pender is kept whole.
Justice doesn’t plan to run for re-election in 2012, but as a redistricting committee member, she will have a voice in the district her successor runs in. She didn’t want to speculate on how the districts will shape up.
“I am a strong, strong defender of this being an open, honest process that follows the rules,” she said.
In Brunswick County, Rep. Frank Iler’s District 17, which includes most of the county, grew 47 percent and now has about 15,000 too many people. That means whoever represents Brunswick’s other House district – currently Democratic Rep. Dewey Hill – likely will pick up more residents in the county.
McComas commented on the complexity of redrawing the boundaries of 170 House and Senate districts.
“Thank God for computers,” he said.
By Patrick Gannon
Published: Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 3:12 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 3:12 p.m.
