On a 3-2 vote, the Board of County Commissioners approved an updated map for Lane County’s five commissioner districts.
Done every 10 years, the process follows work by the Independent Redistricting Committee. The goal was to create districts with as much equal distribution as possible, though the committee agreed a 1 percent variance was acceptable.
Commissioner Joe Berney said there were challenges with this latest process:
“Apparently Census data which is the foundation of redistricting was late in getting to municipalities, and in this instance, to Lane County," Berney told KLCC.
"And new laws are in effect, which meant there was no time for the Board of Commissioners to do anything but accept or reject maps.”
The latest map aims to unite the River Road and Santa Clara neighborhoods, as well as bring the Bethel School District within one commissioner district. The new map and boundaries will be provided to the Lane County Elections Office so ballot information can be updated.
Copyright @2021, KLCC.
Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016. In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional), the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.
Stay ConnectedKLCC
136 W 8th Ave
Eugene OR 97401
541-463-6000
klcc@klcc.org
