02-02-02 Special Advisory Redistricting Committee

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QGommttta deport: 'phial fatirisorp Iktriztrirting + ommttt e The February 9,2002 meeting of the Special Advisory Redistricting Committee was called to order at 9:05 a.m. by its Chairperson, Council Member Charlotte Pfeifer in the Council Informal Meeting Room. Persons in attendance included: Hollis E. Hughes, Jr., Gregorio Chavez, Jr., Gary Gilot, Glenda Rae Hernandez, Council Member Karl King, Charles S. Leone, Council Member Pfeifer, Audrey Jones Spencer, Council Member Karen L. White, George Adler, Ramon F. Rodriguez, Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand, and Larry Magliozzi. Council Member Pfeifer welcomed everyone to the second Special Advisory Redistricting Committee meeting. She then called upon George Adler to review his handouts. Mr. Adler summarized the"Census 200 South Bend"map which depicted the six(6) Councilmanic Districts. He briefly reviewed the census tracts/block groups, and highlight the areas on the map which were not included in the County's process of drawing precincts boundaries. Mr. Adler also highlighted the information on the 4-page handout entitled "Current City of South Bend Common Council Districts" (copy attached) and the 4-page handout entitled "Proposed City of South Bend Common Council Districts" (copy attached) which detailed information on the number and percentage of Hispanic, White Black, American Indian, Asian, Hawaiian, and other racial categories. Glenda Rae Hernandez noted that ten (10) years ago during the redistricting process special emphasis took place on the 2d District so that there would be an opportunity for minority representation. Council Member King noted that the information he proposed earlier attempts to balance population as equally as possible. He noted that there may be other attributes which the committee should review, but voiced concern about going into"dangerous territory". Kathy Cekanski Farrand, the Council Attorney, noted that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is best known for the principle of"one person, one vote"and that the drawing of district lines must honor this principle. She further noted that the federal law is designed to prevent discrimination against racial, ethnic and language minorities. The Council Attorney noted that one of the most recent U.S. Supreme Court cases in this area is Hunt v. Cromartie which was decided in April of 2001. This case involved North Carolina's new 12th and 1st Congressional Districts. White votes asked the court to rule the Districts unconstitutional due to racial gerrymandering. The Court found that the evidence supported creating the Districts noting that: "A legislature trying to secure a safe Democratic seat is interested in Democratic voting behavior. Hence,a legislature may,by placing reliable Democratic precincts within a district without regard to race, end up with a district containing more heavily African-American precincts, but the reasons would be political rather than racial". The Council Attorney concluded that under the Hunt decision, race may be a part of the process of drawing district lines so long as the "traditional redistricting principles" of having districts be compact and contiguous,etc. are not violated.