Because of growth during the past decade, New Hanover County is almost certain to be split between two state Senate districts as a result of the once-a-decade redrawing of state legislative districts.
“It’s going to probably be a two-county cluster. That’s the law,” said Sen. Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, chairman of the Senate Redistricting Committee, which met for the first time Wednesday afternoon.
New Hanover residents currently are represented by one state senator, Republican Wilmington attorney Thom Goolsby, who is in his first term.
But the 2010 U.S. Census determined that the county now has 202,667 residents, 6.3 percent more residents than the ideal population of each state senate district – 190,710.
The N.C. Constitution, according to interpretations in the courts, requires that no state House or Senate district can have a population that deviates more than 5 percent either way from the ideal district population.
Members of the Senate Redistricting Committee met for the first time Wednesday afternoon, setting in motion the complicated and controversial drawing of new state legislative and congressional districts to account for population changes. The new districts will be in place through 2020.
The meeting was scheduled as a joint meeting between the House and Senate redistricting committees, but the House’s regular session ran over and the Senate committee went ahead without the House members.
Legislators plan a series of redistricting public hearings across the state, including meetings in Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties on May 5. Residents may also submit written public comments through the General Assembly redistricting page, www.ncleg.net/Redistricting.
Inherently a political process, this year started no differently. After taking control of the House and Senate in last year’s elections, Republicans control the process for the first time in more than a century.
At the start of Wednesday’s meeting, Sen. Martin Nesbitt, D-Buncombe, questioned why Rucho, the Republican committee chairman, wouldn’t allow Democrats, despite a number of requests, to add Sens. Dan Clodfelter, D-Mecklenburg, and Dan Blue, D-Wake, to the committee. Nesbitt himself offered to step down, along with another Democrat on the committee, to make room for Clodfelter and Blue, who Nesbitt described as two of the Senate’s most seasoned members on redistricting.
Nesbitt said Rucho has reiterated frequently his desire to draw “fair and legal” districts through a “fair and open” process.
“But when you deny people with the most expertise and the most knowledge the opportunity to assist with redistricting, the only conclusion I can draw is that there is no intent to have a fair or open redistricting process,” he said.
Rucho said committee assignments wouldn’t change. He said members were selected based on geographic distribution, from urban and rural counties and from areas required to get federal preclearance of redistricting plans to ensure their compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act.
Rucho also said that committee members would have plenty of help from General Assembly staff if expertise is needed.
“My intent is to draw fair and legal districts with immediate preclearance and no lawsuits,” Rucho said.
Lawsuits challenging redistricting plans are commonplace. Asked why he thought this year would be different, Rucho said: “Maybe that’s a high standard, but I’ve always tried to excel in everything I’ve ever done.”
Freshman Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, a member of the Senate Redistricting Committee, said he hasn’t looked closely at any population numbers aside from what he’s read in newspapers.
He said he refrained from that on purpose so he could go through the process “untainted.”
He said he planned to go through the process, trying to ensure that it’s as open as possible and that anyone who wants to is able to provide input to the committees.
The end result, he said, echoing a Republican redistricting mantra, should be “fair and legal” districts.
“At the end of the day, that’s all anyone can ask,” Rabon said.
Rep. Carolyn Justice, R-Pender, is expected to serve on the House Redistricting Committee.
By Patrick Gannon
Published: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.
