City Council Considers Changes to Ward and Precinct Map (with link)
Proposed changes have been recommended to the City’s precinct and ward map by the redistricting committee utilizing data from the 2020 US Census. The City’s Geographic Information System (GIS) division has redesigned the map with the proposed changes.
According to the agenda summary item from the January 12 Legal and Finance Committee:
Every 10 years, after the census is complete, the City is required to redraw ward and precinct lines for municipal elections/officers. The Mayor had established a redistricting committee consisting of the following to make recommendations to the Council: Mayor Allender, City Attorney Joel Landeen, Finance Director Pauline Sumption, GIS Coordinator Angie Tallon, Pennington County Election Supervisor Lori Severson, RCAS Director of Business & Support Services Coy Sasse, County Commission Lloyd LaCroix and City Council President Lance Lehmann. The “ideal” population per ward was determined to be 14,790 based on the census population. A subcommittee consisting of Sumption, Tallon & Severson met on three separate occasions to bring this recommendation to the full committee, as well as the Council. Decisions were made in compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA) in which consideration was given based on overall population division, residential clustering of voters with common interests, locations of municipal boundaries, census tracts, where the current elected officials resided, legislative district boundaries, landmarks and/or geographical features and the desire to keep a district relatively close together. The map presented was determined to be the best option for recommendation while following the VRA.
The changes are contained in a proposed ordinance with first reading scheduled for the Tuesday, January 18 City Council meeting. Second reading is scheduled for February 7. Click on the link to review the new map. If you have specific questions regarding precinct or ward boundaries, contact the City Finance Office at 605-394-4143. Questions regarding voting locations or other election or voting information, contact the Pennington County Auditor at 605-394-2153 or the South Dakota Secretary of State at 605-773-3537.