Terrebonne Parish Redistricting Process Leads to Feb. 1 Public Hearing

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Terrebonne Parish School Board Current Districts

In 2021, Terrebonne Parish Council and School Board discussed working together in an effort to develop a redistricting plan which aims to create one set of boundaries that will be used by both bodies.


 

The plan still needs to be deliberated by both bodies, which the School Board has called a public hearing about the issue on Tuesday, February 1 at 6:00 p.m. at the school board office. They will be making a decision on the issue at the meeting, if the school board accepts, the council will then consider the plan.

 

What does redistricting mean? It’s the process of redrawing legislative districts which includes US Congressional Districts, State Legislature, and representative districts along with local bodies of government. The process takes place every ten years after Census results are released.

 

According to the South Central Planning & Development Commission (SCPDC), redistricting is a necessary part of living in a representative democracy. Over a ten-year period, it’s normal for families to move in and out of areas due to careers, family, and environmental reasons. On top of that, births, deaths, and migration have played important roles in how populations have shifted since 2010.


 

Another important aspect of redistricting is it guarantees that the council and school board comply with both state and federal law by ensuring that citizens are equally represented among the bodies of government. SPDC said the principle of “one person, one vote” was established in the U.S. Constitution Article 1, Section 2 and was further defined in the 14th Amendment, the Equal Protection Clause.

 

The goals of the redistricting process are as follows: 

 

  • Compliance with all State and Federal laws, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which prohibits plans that intentionally or inadvertently discriminate on the basis of race, which could dilute the minority vote.
  • Compactness: Having the minimum distance between all the parts of a constituency.
  • Contiguity: All parts of a district must be connected at some point with the rest of the district.
  • Preservation of Communities of Interest: Geographical areas, such as neighborhoods, where the residents have a common political interest.
  • Preservation of cores of prior districts: Maintaining districts as previously drawn to the extent possible.
  • Avoid pairing incumbents.

 

Population in the bayous have changed since 2010 but by how much? Terrebonne Parish’s population declined by 1.7 percent over the last decade and has shrunk from 111,482 in 2010 to 109,580 in 2020. Most of the decline took place in the lower part of the parish and minimal growth was seen in the north and central portions of Terrebonne in Bayou Cane, Bayou Blue, and Schriever.


 

Below are the proposed alternatives to be discussed:

Terrebonne Parish Council Districts

Terrebonne Parish School Board Districts

 

All mapping and demographic work by the South Central Planning & Development Commission. Population data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.