Commissioners consider redistricting

Tulsa County Commissioners will consider a plan for redistricting at the Board of County Commissioners Meeting on Monday, August 15, 2011.  Oklahoma State Law mandates that geographic boundaries of districts of representation must be changed to reflect population changes upon the results of each census.

The 2010 Census revealed that the Tulsa County’s population shifted in a way that requires different boundaries for the county commission districts.  Tulsa County’s population through the 2010 Census is 603,403.  With the current boundaries, district populations are as follows: District 1 – 206,001, District 2 – 193,901 and District 3 – 203,501.  

County commissioners individually worked with INCOG staff to provide input on new district boundaries due to the agency’s advanced mapping software.  Proposed district maps were recently discussed by commissioners at a public meeting on July 28.

The proposed district populations are as follows: District 1 – 201,250, District 2 – 201,897 and District 3 – 200,256.  Populations cannot be exact due to the precinct boundaries.

Commissioners will further discuss and possibly take action on the proposed district boundaries at their regularly scheduled meeting at 9:30 a.m. on August 15.  The process will also include a public hearing where any member of the public may speak about the proposed district boundaries.

Commissioner Fred Perry said, “The law does not require that there be a public hearing regarding county commissioner redistricting.  However, this board has continually worked to make county government more transparent and open.”

Both current and proposed district maps are attached to this news release and via the Tulsa County website at www.tulsacounty.org/redistricting/.