After the Census is done every ten years, we learn our estimated population and where there has been population growth and decline. With that comes shifts in congressional districts, both federal and state levels, plus counties and municipalities also have shifted in population. The State of Texas was awarded two new congressional seats after the 2020 Census because the state grew by 4 million people. Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, & Oregon gained one new congressional seat each. This also means they gained that number in Electoral College votes. States that lost congressional seats include one from each state are California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, & West Virginia. Of course, they all lost one Electoral College vote each.
Each state’s legislatures are required to redistrict every ten years to make sure population and other elements are balanced, or equal. During the 2021 Texas Legislative session #3, the state representatives changed the districts based on population and also added in the two new districts, which are District 37 and District 38. It was passed by the Texas Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott. Now after the federal and state redistricting, each county would be responsible for its precincts, wards, commissioners, and municipal districts to be changed, if it is necessary. Terry County, last month finalized its redistricting for the county commissioners. This past Thursday morning, Dec. 16, 2021, the Brownfield City Council held a special called meeting to discuss their redistricting plans for the 5 districts that are represented in the City of Brownfield.
According to the US Constitution, each district must have almost the same amount of population. At the beginning of the process to move district lines, District 5 was the most populated district in Brownfield and was well over the percentage threshold to keep it the same. However, after City Manager Jeff Davis spoke with Attorney Stan Reid with Allison, Bass, and Magee, it came to the council’s attention that the TDCJ Jim Rudd Unit population was added into district five, as it had been done in other Census’s. Since TDCJ decided to close down the Rudd Unit, there was no longer a need for district five to have the prison population counted into that district. Reid took out that population and brought the percentage of District 5 into the constitutional threshold or under the 10% deviation. The Council would then look to District 2 to add more population.
The Council decided to move some of District 3 and District 4 into District 5 to get a more balanced and constitutional percentage. Also, the Council proposed District 5 lose 51 people from the west side of S. Cedar to Pine Street on E. Hester and E. Lons, District 5 did gain 18 in the 1900 block of East Tate. District 1 did not have to be changed because of the less than one percent of deviation. Attorney Reid told the Council the new map and districts are under the constitutional guidelines and recommended the city adopt the new map. The Council will have a special called meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, at 7:30 a.m. to hold a hearing on the proposed new districts. After the hearing, the Council will vote to adopt the new map. Current council members include Mayor Tom Hesse, At-Large Councilman Isaiah Bautista, At-Large Councilman Michael Tackitt, District 1 Councilman Ricky Rocha (term ends May 2022), District 2 Councilman Celso Duran (term ends May 2022), District 3 Councilwoman Judy Besler (term ends May 2022) District 4 Councilwoman Michelle Cooper, and District 5 Councilman Eric Horton.
