admin
Kansas City Election Board Commissioners are considering three maps that change the boundaries of the Kansas City, Missouri School District.
Commissioners presented the maps during a Sept. 8 public hearing and several citizens favored Map 2, which creates east to west boundaries.
One resident said Map 2 could break the racial divide, creating a more unified district.
“I think No. 2 offers the greatest possibility for increased engagement,” he said. “To me, it creates an opportunity to reach across Troost, reach across Independence and create one school district.”
Following every U.S. Census, the election board is required to redraw the lines of the school district to reflect population changes.
Ten years ago, 212,000 people lived within the school district. That number has dwindled to 194,000. Sub-districts must contain roughly the same population, which means each sub-district will contain approximately 32,300 people.
Steven Glorioso, city-hired media/communications specialist for the redistricting project, said some boundary lines are jagged to avoid putting two incumbents in the same sub-district or moving a current board member out of his or her district.
“Generally, we don’t want to knock someone out of office by the stroke of a pen,” Glorioso said.
When considering new boundaries, commissioners must also adhere to the Voting Rights Act of 1964, which contains guidelines on protecting racial and ethnic minorities.
For sub-district boundaries, commissioners also use natural boundaries, like Troost, highways and the Missouri River.
Maps 1 and 3 are nearly identical, with the exception of several precincts added to Sub-district 4 in Map 3.
In Map 1, there are three white majority districts and two African American majority districts; in Map 2, there is one white majority district and one African American majority district; and in Map 3, there are three white majority districts and three black majority districts. To view the maps in more detail, visit www.kceb.org.
One additional public hearing has been scheduled for noon Thursday, Sept. 15, at the Kansas City Election Board office in Union Station, 30 W. Pershing Rd., Suite 2800.
Election Board Commissioner Melodie Powell said commissioners will consider public input in making their final decision.
“Your input tonight is very important to us,” she said.
Election board commissioners will make their final decision in October.
-
