Redrawing The Lines: Escambia County Considers New Voting Districts

August 28, 2011

The Escambia County Commission is moving forward with plans to approve a new redistricting map.

Following the release of 2010 Census numbers that show a population shift into the Cantonment area of the county, both the Escambia County Commission and the School District were forced to redraw district boundaries.

The Escambia County Commission has scheduled a public hearing for the purpose of taking public input and adopting new district boundaries for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 6 in the commission chambers.

Escambia County is divided into five different voting districts, each represented by a county commissioner and school board member. According to County Administrator Randy Oliver, the districts must be redrawn in such a manner that the population difference between the smallest district and the largest district is no more than five-percent.

All of the districts will be predominantly white, with the exception of District 3, which will remain predominantly black.

The ideal district, with one-fifth of the population, would have 59,524 residents. Districts 4 and 5 will be slightly larger than “ideal” by about 1,000 people.

Data released earlier this year by the U.S. Census Bureau showed a  population shift into the area between Barrineau Park and 9 Mile roads. That area, called the Cantonment Census County Division, saw a population increase of 15.8% (6,901 people)  while the other Census divisions in the county saw a population decrease of 1.4 to 3 percent. Overall, the county experienced a very slight 1 percent increase during the decade as the population increased from 294,410  in 2000 to 297,619 in 2010.

Click the map above to enlarge.

Comments

12 Responses to “Redrawing The Lines: Escambia County Considers New Voting Districts”

  1. David Huie Green on August 30th, 2011 10:47 am

    REGARDING:
    “Do you know anything about Agenda 21?”

    I had never heard of it. A quick check of Wikipedia indicates it was a United Nations proposal for improving the world in certain ways with everybody working on the improvements at their own levels. The danger of such things is that ideas for improvements don’t always improve lives. (Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease, just as communism often sounds good since it involves sharing but always leads to poverty and death.)

    Lifted from the article in Wikipedia:
    “There are 40 chapters in the Agenda 21, divided into four main sections.
    Section I: Social and Economic Dimensions
    which deals with combating poverty, changing consumption patterns, promoting health, change population and sustainable settlement
    Section II: Conservation and Management of Resources for Development
    Includes atmospheric protection, combating deforestation, protecting fragile environments, conservation of biological diversity (biodiversity), and control of pollution.
    Section III: Strengthening the Role of Major Groups
    Includes the roles of children and youth, women, NGOs, local authorities, business and workers.
    Section IV: Means of Implementation
    Implementation includes science, technology transfer, education, international institutions and financial mechanisms.”

    I don’t see anything inherently wrong in any of the proposals listed. The final result usually depends on who ran the thing and what his goals really were.

    David for women, children, forests,
    well-being, freedom and puppies

  2. William on August 30th, 2011 7:30 am

    >> Professing my ignorance, what does VAP stand for in the chart??

    Voting Age Population

  3. Walnut Hill Roy on August 30th, 2011 7:29 am

    Professing my ignorance, what does VAP stand for in the chart??

  4. Kat on August 30th, 2011 7:12 am

    To David Huie Green
    I have read many of your posts over time. You sound like a smart man. I admire your willingness to speak the truth.

    Do you know anything about Agenda 21?

  5. David Huie Green on August 29th, 2011 12:58 pm

    REGARDING:
    ” I thought people were free to live, work and attend school where they wished?”

    You’re free to live where you wish.

    You’re free to work for whomever will employ you.

    Children can go to school in their districts or in other areas if they are magnet schools or if local schools didn’t make the grade.

    That doesn’t mean people will give you a house wherever you want it, free of charge. It doesn’t mean people have to hire you if they don’t want to do so. It doesn’t mean the school district will pick up the tab for your decision to go to some other school just because you would rather go to Pensacola High than Northview. It certainly doesn’t mean you can live in Bluff Springs, work in Wyoming, vote in Vermont, attend school in Anchorage — other than on your own dime.

    Other people have rights and freedoms and limited pocketbooks too.

    David considering freedom

  6. 429SCJ on August 29th, 2011 10:47 am

    It amazes me that in this modern multicultural color blind society we live in, that the government is still interested in the racial makeup of the population. I thought people were free to live, work and attend school where they wished?

  7. Jane on August 29th, 2011 10:06 am

    This might make voting more interesting, and maybe force the County Commissioners to accept the fact that we actually have voters out here!!

  8. Molested on August 28th, 2011 12:01 pm

    In a few years when Gulf Power builds the Nuclear Power plant is built in District 5. District 5 can lay claim to phenomanal growth of business and tax revenue. They will quickly distance themselves for growth and income compared to the other districts unless area leader become engaged and draw some new industry to the area. That will be an interesting discussion. District 5 may inherit a voice with the county when that happens.
    BTW it would be interesting if Century or Flomaton could arrange a deal with Power South Energy CO-OP. They sale electricity to the local coops. There are many municapal owned power plants in the US.
    Develop and prove the market and sign contract for power.
    Develop the location with access to water and natural gas, also accomodate transmission lines to customer.
    Send out RFQ to OEMS for plant. Weight options and cost.
    This could be accomplished with one municipality or Brewton, Flomaton, Century, Armore etc.
    This would create jobs. You have colleges nearby. If you can establish customer sales you are halfway there. A lot of great clean jobs with growth potential. There could be a possible power sales to Gulf Power during peak demand or service outages. The same for EREC and Power South Energy.
    You guys go to the Government or DOE and see if there is any seed money out there for clean energy.
    Energy needs in Pcola and other areas can be augmented from the Tri City area.

  9. William on August 28th, 2011 11:26 am

    Ron wrote “Interesting that there are no Hispanics in Escambia County.”

    I presume you are referring to the table at the bottom, which was prepared by the county, since the article only references the major race in each district. I think the county’s table includes Hispanics under the “other” category.

  10. Devastating Dave on August 28th, 2011 10:36 am

    “Interesting that there are no Hispanics in Escambia County.”

    Yes Ron, very interesting indeed!

  11. Ron on August 28th, 2011 9:57 am

    Interesting that there are no Hispanics in Escambia County.

  12. Interested on August 28th, 2011 8:35 am

    I’ll be interested to know if that makes our district bigger so WHITE can
    have a chance now that he knows, we are sending him packing. LOL