Hamilton County Attorney Rheubin TaylorKeystrokes have replaced man-hours in the decade since the Hamilton County Commission last redrew its political boundaries.
Aided by a new $4,500 Web-based software package purchased by the Election Commission, the county’s Geographic Information Systems staff and individual county commissioners instantly have been able to view map changes that previously took hours or even days to calculate and draft.
Commissioners are using the software as they work to reapportion nine commission and school board districts based on 2010 U.S. Census data.
The process of redrawing districts is mathematically, legally and politically complex. Commissioners must take into account factors such as population deviation, minority representation, geography and the shape of districts, according to County Attorney Rheubin Taylor. Commissioners also consider school zones.
In previous redistricting years, staff from Geographic Information Systems would have to take notes about individual commissioners’ recommended changes and spend large amounts of time mapping census blocks into various drafts.