Laramie County residents share election redistricting concerns
Sep. 25—CHEYENNE — Local residents shared their concerns Saturday afternoon with state legislators at a Laramie County work session hosted to discuss redistricting following the 2020 census.
Some asked lawmakers to consider issues such as gerrymandering, communities experiencing a lack of representation in Cheyenne and fast-paced population growth due to urban development as they start their planning.
The Wyoming Legislature's Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Interim Committee is beginning the process of redrawing the geographic boundaries in the county from which people are elected, which occurs every decade. The planning is beginning later than in past years because the U.S. Census data was delayed due to impacts caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"I think what we're hoping for today is we want some marching orders," said Committee Chairman and Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, "and to know what you want moving forward."
Redistricting will appear different this year due to the fact the state of Wyoming has grown by 2.3% since the 2010 census, or just over 13,000 people.
Laramie County was among the nine counties in the state that increased in population, and is the main reason there was such statewide growth. In the past decade, the county's population has increased by more than 8,700 residents.
Due to this increase, there is also a possibility for the county to add another state House seat. Laramie County has had five House seats and 10 Senate seats in the past, but representatives said there is a chance the committee will fight for the 11th based on constituent requests.
At the end of the process, there should be 60 seats in the House and 30 seats in the Senate. Consideration should also be given to having two contiguous House districts within each Senate district.
There are other redistricting principles that require state election districts to be contiguous, compact and reflect communities of interest. Examples of communities of interest would be the Cheyenne South triad or F.E. Warren Air Force Base.
The population within each election district should also be equal, and county boundaries and census blocks should be followed to the greatest extent possible.
Even though a population is equal in size, some residents said that does not mean it is always equal in representation. This was one of the main topics of discussion in Saturday's work session.
Some residents said they believe the Cheyenne South triad should have its own representative, which would look out for the interests of the area.
Carla Gregorio, a member of the Wyoming Independent Citizens Coalition, led the conversation on discussing election districts following the triad lines of the school district because south Cheyenne is currently split up between representatives. She said she wants to have future conversations — and possible technical help in drawing the new district — in order to provide inclusion and equity.
She was not alone in this sentiment. One resident addressed members of the committee and said, "We don't feel represented. You don't look like us."
She told them the committee would appear far more diverse, live in houses less than $300,000 and advocate for different issues in the community, if they did understand their concerns.
State Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, said she did feel as though members of the committee were representing constituents all the time, regardless of the way they looked. She thanked residents for their remarks, though, and said it would be taken into consideration.
Michelle Aldrich, a member of the Cheyenne City Council, said she hesitates to try and designate one representative per a certain community or triad, because it could lead to a lack of accountability.
"It's not about neighborhoods or wards or triads," she said. "It's really about Laramie County. And I think we need to make sure we keep that big picture."
Currently, most state House and Senate representatives have multiple parts of the county within their election districts and said they see it as an opportunity to advocate for the entire community.
These kinds of conversations will continue over the upcoming months. An Oct. 6 meeting in Douglas will also feature a public comment section, and representatives invite residents to take part in person or over Zoom to speak to their concerns.
Jasmine Hall is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's education reporter. She can be reached by email at jhall@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3167. Follow her on Twitter @jasminerhphotos and on Instagram @jhrose25.
