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Last updated on Saturday, December 8, 2012
(WASHINGTON) - Washingting City Council met in special session this week to review options for redistributing the City Council seats based on the 2010 census.
The State of Indiana mandates redistricting after every ten year census.
Chris Walls a specialist dealing with redistricting from Thirty-Nine Degrees North, told council members that districts must be contiguous, as compact as possible, and the range of population in any two districts could not have a disparity of more than 10 percent.
Currently, two of Washington council districts vary from each other by 40 percent.
Walls presented the Council with several options.
The one the Councilmen voted to accept, leaves most Washington residents in their current Districts but does result in some minor changes in the alignment of the districts.
The plan brings the population disparity between the largest district and the smallest down to 8.3 percent.
The main change in the proposed map was to move the parts of District Five north of the railroad tracks into District One...and conversely, move the area south of the railroad tracks,currently in District One to District Five.
Due to population requirements, Precinct 12 will be split between Districts 2, 4, and 5 and Precinct 15 will be divieded between Districts 1 and 2.
Walls will have maps and population figures ready for official consideration and action at the next Council meeting.
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