Commissioners districts will shift

Published 5:41 pm Wednesday, March 19, 2014

by AMANDA WINTERS

Sequim Gazette

Voters in six Clallam County precincts will find themselves in a new county commissioner district beginning in 2012.

The Clallam County Districting Commission gave final approval Monday, June 20, to shifting the boundaries of the three commissioner districts to improve the population disparity.

The district boundaries, which only affect voting in commissioner primary elections, now will run north and south along Valley Creek in Port Angeles and Boyce Road in Carlsborg.

At a June 15 public hearing in Sequim, Districting Master Don Corson said the county’s population has grown more in Sequim than the other districts and legal requirements dictate a disparity of no more than 5 percent.

Districting Master Gene Unger said the current difference in population between District 1 and District 3 is 6.13 percent. Under the new boundaries the difference is 2.5 percent, with District 1 remaining the most populous.

The chosen redistricting plan moves the Klahhane and Robin Hill precincts from District 1 to District 2; Port Angeles precincts 17, 20 and 25 from District 2 to District 3; and Port Angeles precinct 14 from District 3 to District 2.

The districting masters recommended the chosen option because it best met the charter requirements for redistricting, which were to have approximately equal population, have generally north-south boundaries, be geographically compact and continuous and be comprised of whole voting precincts.

Commissioner Earl Archer was the only one to vote against the chosen option because he was of the opinion equal population was the most important factor.

Only three members of the public attended the hearing, including county commissioner candidate Jim McEntire, who remains well within the boundaries of District 1.

The final public hearing was held June 20, with Clallam County Commissioner Mike Doherty in attendance.