A public hearing was held Tuesday morning, Nov. 2, to give residents an opportunity to address objections to the redistricting map for Liberty County’s four road and bridge precincts. The map was approved last week 3-1 by the commissioners.
Not a single resident was in the courtroom to raise any objections at the public hearing, so the next step in the process is for the map to be formally approved by Liberty County Commissioners Court at a the next regular commissioners court meeting on Nov. 9.
Redistricting is performed every 10 years based on the U.S. Census results. For Liberty County, the objective was to divide the county’s four road and bridge precincts into equal size based on population with each having roughly 21,749 residents.
Liberty County Judge Jay Knight addressed the difficult decisions that commissioners had to make while changing the precinct lines and said he does not envy neighboring Harris County as commissioners there still have not come to a consensus on their redistricting map.
“At least we all have the civility to work together even though it’s not fun, even though you have to end up giving up things you didn’t want to give up,” Knight said of the Liberty County commissioners.
With new roads and communities being added to Precincts 1, 2 and 4, and a shrinking territory in Pct. 3, commissioners undoubtedly will have to make changes and adjustments as they adapt to their new boundaries.
“One census block takes one road and divides it into two, and two commissioners will have to share that particular road. Another census block in the Dayton area takes the road in one ditch but not the other ditch,” said Klint Bush, elections administrator for Liberty County, who was tasked with helping the County through the redistricting process. “I do think the commissioners have a good working relationship on the roads. There are a couple of roads that go in and out of precincts already.”
