Ridgeland aldermen prepping for redistricting

RIDGELAND — A consultant will present proposed maps and discuss guiding principles of redistricting during a public hearing set for Tuesday at City Hall.

The city’s redistricting process began with new and updated population data from the 2020 Census and preparation for the 2025 election cycle, said City Planner Jordan Lohman.

Lohman said ward lines are redrawn when new census data is available primarily to ensure a ratio of “one person – one vote” in elections held in the city.

“The new census data demonstrated that ward boundaries must adjust in order to more equally distribute population throughout the city’s wards,” Lohman said. “One of the more important elements of any redistricting is to ensure equal voting strength of each person.”

A consultant will make a presentation to Mayor Gene F. McGee and the alderman during the public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 30, in the board room at Ridgeland City Hall.

The consultant plans to discuss the guiding principles of redistricting including the legal principles and the “traditional districting principles”, Lohman said. 

These principles include minimizing the degree of change or disruption, utilizing visible lines of demarcation, maintaining core constituency, avoiding dividing communities of interest, avoiding pitting incumbents against each other, compactness and contiguity as well as the previously stated goal of “One person – one vote.”

The consultant will review a total of 10 plans at the meeting. 

“He will likely concentrate the majority of his presentation on the four most recent versions and associated data as it pertains to redistricting principles,” Lohman said.

The public hearing was set unanimously on the consent agenda by the city board at the Dec.5 meeting.