Las Vegas puts ward redistricting plans on hold

Eric Leake

Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004 | 9:22 a.m.

The Las Vegas City Council backed off an unpopular redistricting plan Monday, opting instead to wait for different maps or a later date.

The proposed map would have divided neighborhoods in Ward 1. More than 50 residents of the ward opposed the plan at a public hearing held by the council as the city's redistricting recommending committee.

"The bottom line is don't do it now, there's no reason to," said attorney John Moran Jr., a Ward 1 resident and recent appointee to the Nevada Gaming Commission.

"Why piecemeal it now when you're going to have to come back and do it later?" Moran asked. "It doesn't make any sense."

The council, residents, and retired Wisconsin Judge Frederick Kessler -- who was hired to draw the new ward map -- were grappling with how to deal with growing populations, historic neighborhood identities and issues of voter disenfranchisement in one map.

But the council decided to wait on a recommendation, at least until its meeting on Oct. 20.

Some had alleged that the proposed new boundaries for Ward 1 had been drawn to cut Councilwoman Janet Moncrief's potential rivals out of her ward. Moncrief and Kessler said that was not the case.

"I want everyone to know that I didn't have anything to do with this, and I wasn't gerrymandering in politics," Moncrief said.

Redistricting is allowed whenever ward populations vary by more than 5 percent, except during election years, which in Las Vegas are in odd-numbered years. Redistricting is mandated following the U.S. Census

If the council decides not to redistrict this year, the next opportunity would be in 2006. Until then, growing disparities in ward populations -- counts which range from 80,202 in Ward 1 to 116,840 in Ward 6 -- would stand.

Ward 6 Councilman Michael Mack originally proposed the restricting effort but said Monday his position wasn't fixed.

"I brought this forward because I thought there was an inequity. But given all the concerns I've heard today, I have an open mind," he said.

Kessler, who said he was surprised by the public opposition to his redistricting effort, said he would use the feedback to re-draw the map.

"You never can get community input until you have a map on the table," Kessler said. "People just don't know until they have an opportunity to see a map."

Kessler said he may consider swapping precincts to allow some residents to remain in Ward 1.

His options are limited because some swaps could result in the temporary disenfranchisement of certain precincts, which would could go as long as six years without voting in a city council race, a violation of city policy.

Mayor Oscar Goodman said he opposes redistricting efforts that would disenfranchise voters.

Reconsidering the map in 2006 would leave more flexibility following the 2005 election, Kessler said.

"It frankly would be easier," he told the council. "Even if you adopt a redesign plan or this plan today, I would tell you to come back in two years."