By SCOTT REESE WILLEY

Hometown Press

Chambers County residents may find themselves casting ballots in new commissioner precincts in the future.County officials are gearing up to redistrict the county according to the new population figures provided by the U.S. Census Dept.

“This could lead to some significant changes in the way people vote,” said Precinct 4 Commissioner Rusty Senac.

County commissioners appoint a Citizens Advisory Committee last week to help organize the redistricting efforts.

Anyone interested in politics or in serving on the committee is encouraged to contact their county commissioner.

“Just like the federal and state government, Chambers County is in the process of redistricting, which is done every 10 years and is based on the official census results,” County Judge Jimmy Sylvia explained. “For the county, this only affects voting precincts and commissioners precincts. By law, no voting precinct can have over 5,000 residents. The law also dictates that each commissioner represent an equal number of people within plus-    or-minus 5 percent.”

After the intitial meeting of the Chambers County Redistricting Task Force, a timeline was developed, he said.The first item is to identify members of the Citizens Advisory Committee.

The duties of the committee include reviewing and discussing various redistricting concepts, reviewing the Census 2010 demographic data, reviewing the current and proposed election boundaries, attending the public meetings after regular work hours and recommending proposed redistricting/reapportionment plans to the commissioners court.

The committee’s recommendations are nonbinding and the commissioners court will have the final say-so on redistricting.Each commissioner and county judge will be allowed to appoint citizens to the advisory committee.

Commissioners will make their appointments during their regular Feb. 22 meeting.The committee is scheduled to meet numerous times in April and May.The first public hearing on redistricting will be held in June.