By Hamilton Richardson
Elmore/Autauga News
Top Photo: Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie address his concerns over the proposed redistricting map.
Prattville government has to tackle serious issues on a regular basis as the mayor and city council work to manage the city. However, recently the hot-button topic of redistricting has made its way onto the top of the priority list.
At the July 5, 2022 Prattville City Council meeting, an ordinance was introduced, which if enacted would “amend Ordinance Book 2011, page 024, Ordinance Book 2016-A, page 009 and Ordinance Book 2020, page 005 to redescribe the legal descriptions of city council districts pursuant to 2020 Federal Census and designate voting locations.”
During the section of that meeting in which residents can share their comments with the council, multiple residents of District 2 approached the group and shared their strong feelings about redistricting and the possibility that if the current map was approved, it would violate the civil rights of minorities in the city.
The map that was under consideration was designed by the Alabama State University Demographic Department in a partnership with the city.
When the ordinance came to a vote, it was held until the July 19, 2022 meeting.
Lora Lee Boone, Council President, in an email following the meeting, explained how the redistricting process works.
“The state mandates that after a Census with data that shows a change in population of districts, which in essence unbalances them, a redrawing of districts must occur,” Boone said. “We did not just decide on a whim, or for political reasons to take on this task. It is required. The need is determined by one or more districts not being in the plus or minus five-percent population of the other districts, which is ideal. Simply put, take Prattville’s population and divide by seven (number of districts).”
The council president added that the plan means evenly divided districts, equally represented by one councilor per district. It also means a similar number of constituents for each councilor to represent.
“Some districts will be affected by having a new polling place,” Boone explained. “Some will become less divided and more consolidated. We hope to keep neighborhoods together as much as possible. For example, Highland Ridge is so densely populated that it is currently divided among three districts and therefore has three representatives. We were able to consolidate that into two in the proposed map. Similarly, Hearthstone is currently divided and will be completely united under the new drawing.”
Boone acknowledged that there are some strong feelings in the districts about the proposed changes.
“Many in the community are upset due to misinformation,” the city leader said. “They do not know that the council is forced to act and create new districts based on Census data. Many think that our reasons are politically, or even racially, motivated. There is concern in the African American community that they could lose minority representation due to the new lines. Again, due to misinformation, many believe that we currently have a majority/minority district in District 2. This is not true. The current numbers in District 2 put black residents at around 44-46-percent, so the 50-percent required for a majority/minority district does not exist now. Some feel that not having such a district is regression. However, Census data shows progress in that Prattville is truly integrated.”
Marcus Jackson, City Councilman representing District 2, also communicating through email after the July 5 meeting, said the right to cast a vote is one of the most hallowed freedoms we have as Americans.
“I strongly feel that voting should be unencumbered and secure, that each vote validly cast should count, and that all citizens be given the opportunity to elect the individual of his or her choice,” Jackson said. “One of the issues with the newly proposed maps, if adopted, will not allow for the minority population of Prattville citizens to maintain representation on the city council. Over time, districts can gain or lose population based upon the data that was received from the 2020 US Census count. This could allow voters in a district with a larger population less of a say than voters in a meagerly populated district. New maps are drawn to keep the population in each district as close to even as possible. This issue is also important as it relates to the next municipal election that is slated for 2025.”
Jackson also said that the currently proposed district map plan would reduce minority votes in all seven districts, some as low as 15-percent, and at best 35-percent in District 2.
“With the number of minorities reduced to these percentages, there is no way possible for the opportunity for minority representation to be retained,” he said. “With the City of Prattville having a minority population of roughly 20-percent, there is no reason for the city council not to be reflective of the demographics of our community.”
At the July 19, 2022 City Council meeting, when the ordinance was once again introduced, Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie had a few words regarding the measure to share during his comments to the group.
“Councilors after our last city council meeting, I reached out to several who had been in attendance that night and we at the city contacted ASU to arrange a meeting with some of the ones that were here,” the mayor said. “After this contact with ASU, ASU took advantage of the city council meeting video and because of these actions, ASU took another look at Map 225.”
Gillespie explained that he had met with ASU representatives regarding an alternative map.
“At that meeting, ASU provided me with a map that has been tagged as 7-14,” he said. “I reached out to elected officials and staff with newfound ASU information. I’ve been in contact with local residents and a NAACP official.”
Gillespie then pointed the councilmembers to look on the monitor above them to see the newly-proposed map.
“The ASU newly-found Census block of Highway 31,” he pointed out. “It takes a very well-trained eye to pick that up. Our current city map does not meet code for redistricting.”
Gillespie spoke to the gathered crowd as well and pointed to Map 7-14, which was made available in paper form for all those who attended.
“Map 7-14 does meet the verbiage of contiguous, but it could be challenged,” the mayor continued. “It’s a very thin line and a very obscure Census block, but it does meet being contiguous.”
Gillespie then continued to go into detail regarding the current map under consideration and the newly-proposed map, ending his comments by saying, “As a community, we all need to be invested in this redistricting process. My recommendation to this body is that we postpone this agenda item until August 16, but no later than September 6. Please don’t forget that September 15 is the automatic acceptance date. Time is of the essence.”
Councilmember John Chambers spoke up in agreement with Gillespie regarding the new map and postponing the vote.
Multiple residents came up to address the council as well before the measure was addressed, sharing their comments and concerns.
Barbara Robinson said she was glad the council was considering taking more time to vote on the map.
“We have a petition from the community in District 2, where people have signed. I think really and truly, we need to represented and we need to have our voice,” she said.
After Robinson’s comments, the large crowd who had gathered erupted in loud applause.
The council moved through the agenda and when the ordinance dealing with the redistricting issue came before them, Chambers made a motion for a postponement and a work session to look at the new map and suggested the date of August 16.
The motion to postpone the vote until that date was approved by councilmembers.
After the agenda was completed, a few more members of the community addressed the council regarding the postponement of the redistricting map thanking councilmembers for the decision.
