Alaska Redistricting Board To Get Detailed Census Data August 12, 2021

 Here's the announcement from the Board's executive director:

". . . a quick note to let you know that we received notice a few minutes ago that the Census bureau will release legacy formatted redistricting data on Aug 12th at 9am Alaska time.

The previously published release date was August 16.

Our software vendor will need about a week to convert this legacy data into files that our map-drawing software can work with. We are working with the Department of Labor to get an early peek at the district population deviations and will advise you when these numbers are available for your review."

The State population arrived much earlier.  This is the detailed information needed to draw the district maps.  

I wrote about the public mapping software that will be available and the basic rule.    As the message says, it will take about a week for the data to be downloaded into the public map-drawing software.  I recommend getting familiar with the software.  This is like a free computer game with which you can help shape the Alaska legislature for the next ten years.  

Seriously.  If you can make demonstrably fairer maps - that is maps that meet the federal and state statutory requirements - than the Board makes, you could challenge their maps.  Minimally, you could share your maps with one of the interest groups that are following the process carefully.  This will include Municipalities, political parties, Native Corporations and non-profits, etc.  

You can go to the Board's website and start playing with the maps here (they have the data for the 2010 redistricting process loaded now.) I'm following my granddaughter's lead.  She just gets her mom's phone and tries out everything she can find until she figures out cool things she can do.  I'm trying to do that with the software.  

My understanding is that the Board has a month to prepare the first set of maps for public comment, so there should be a flurry of meetings soon.  There's no information yet about when that will start.  Not sure if it will take a week for Board's map-making software, or just for the public software.

Here's a screenshot.  I'm a little concerned about how easy this is going to be on my laptop.  We'll see.   So far it looks more like a toy, but let's see what I'll be able to do with it.  If there are mappers out there who want to work together on this, send me an email (upper right hand column) or leave comments.

Who's Getting Shot In Alaska - By Region

 The State's Vaccine Dashboard shows percentage of people who have had one or more vaccine doses.  This is for folks over 12 years old. [Remember, the numbers change daily.]

• Bristol Bay plus Lake and Peninsula  -90%
• Aleutians East Borough -87%
• Skagway Municipality - 84%
• Nome Census Area - 82%
• Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area - 79%
• Juneau City and Borough - 79%
• Kusilvak Census Area - 79%
• Yakutat plus Hoonah-Angoon - 78%
• Sitka City and Borough - 77%
• Bethel Census Area - 74%
• Haines Borough - 72%
• Aleutians West Census Area - 71%
• Denali Borough -  68%
• Prince Of Wales-Hyder Census Area - 68%
• Kodiak Island Borough-  67%
• Ketchikan Gateway Borough -67%
• Petersburg Borough - 65%
• Northwest Arctic Borough - 64%
• Valdez-Cordova Census Area -  63%
• Wrangell City and Borough -  62%
• Anchorage Municipality -  62%
• Dillingham Census Area - 61%
• Fairbanks North Star Borough - 50%
• Kenai Peninsula Borough -48%
• Matanuska-Susitna Borough - 41%
• North Slope Borough - 38%
• Southeast Fairbanks Census Area -33

The Statewide total for 1+ vaccines is 58.1%.  Fully vaccinated is 52.6.  

I can't find a similar list of fully vaccinated.  

Since fully vaccinated is less than 4% fewer than the partially vaccinated, I'm assuming most on that list are fully vaccinated and we have 42% of the over 12 population that is unconvinced, though I suspect the 12-18 group might still be ready for shots.  

The CDC reports 67.9% of ages 12 and over in the US are partially vaccinated.  58.3% are fully vaccinated.  

8.2 Earthquake - Didn't Feel It In Anchorage

 Not sure if others in Anchorage felt it.  We did not.  

Right now there are tsunami warnings but haven't seen any reports of actual waves.

I can't imagine and 8.2.  The 7.1 quake we had November 30, 2018 was more earthquake than I ever want to experience again.  8.2, if I understand my Richter scale right is 10 times stronger than 7.2!

I put up the map because the location of the quake won't mean anything to most people outside of Alaska.  

Click to Enlarge And Focus - Source

My sympathy goes out to those who were effected and my hope is that no tsunamis develop.  If there are tsunamis they could impact far more than Alaska.  

Looks like tsunamis will be under 1 foot in Alaska areas.

Message #4 from @NWS_NTWC. Max tsunami height forecasted to be under 1 foot at the following locations: https://t.co/Sld7v12aA8 pic.twitter.com/uaRX20jeq5

— NWS Alaska Region (@NWSAlaska) July 29, 2021

Saturday Trip To Portage

 

Our first stop was Bird Point, to get a little beach time.  The weather was cooperative and I found I nice big flat rock to get a short nap in.

xxx

View from my rock.

Some lichen friends were enjoying the sun too on a nearby rock.

And the trail was full of pink clover and white yarrow.

There's a trail that goes along much of the road going to Portage Glacier. Here's the map.

The trail has different kinds of vegetation along the way.

Where we started, we were on the edge of a lake and there was a hanging glacier up on the rocks.  This used to be a key view point before they put the trail in fairly recently.

Here's a quiet stream with a rock garden above it.  The plant world just needs water to get a foothold, even on this vertical rock wall.

And this part of the trail has spruce trees hanging with moss.

A picnic table along the trail.

  

A faster running creek with mossy edges.

While I am a graffiti fan, this is not a place where human efforts add to the beauty.  

The angle of these grass seeds far outshines the paint on the rock.

Then we drove the little bit more to see what Portage Lake looked like that day.  

When we got to Alaska nearly 50 years ago, the glacier extended well into the lake and there were always house sized icebergs floating in the lake.  But it's been quite a few years since the glacier retreated out of the lake and back up into the mountain.  

But there was a 'tiny' iceberg floating on the other side of the lake.  I say tiny because way over there it doesn't look that big.  And compared to the old icebergs we used to see, it's pretty small.  But you can also gauge it against the snow poles on the road in the background.  They're there to help drivers see the road when the snow gets really deep.  I'm guessing they're about 15 feet high and the iceberg appears to be longer than the poles.  

Any day you get out of the house and leave your screens behind for the natural treats of Alaska is a great day, and it was.  

GAMERS ALERT: Free Online Redistricting Mapping Software Let's You Help Shape Alaska's House And Senate Districts [Updated]

An email [it's copied below] for Alaska Redistricting Board update subscribers today says that they have worked out an agreement with Tufts University for maps making tools for the public to use.  [You can subscribe to the Board's updates here.]

The 2020 detailed census data are not out yet, but people can start practicing with the 2010 data now. Below is the email with a link to the software and two example maps.  

I haven't tried this yet because I wanted to get it out to people immediately.  For anyone interested in mapmaking or in politics, this is a must.  It's a good opportunity to get non-political tech people paired up with non-tech political people.  

I hope gamers see this as a real life game and that they can keep the Redistricting Board accountable by showing them that better maps (maps that meet all the Federal and State requirements more efficiently and equitably) can be made.  When there were challenges to the Redistricting Board's maps in the 2010 round, maps were submitted to the courts to show that better maps could be made.

As I looked at the example maps below I realized there are some requirements for valid districts that mappers need to know. Here's an early post from the 2010 Redistricting round that details some of the Federal and State requirements.  For instance, 

The Federal Constitutional Redistricting Principles are, briefly:

• A.  "One Person, One Vote". . ."legislative seats must be apportioned exclusively on the basis of population and the populations of the respective districts must be substantially equal."
• B.  "Districts of as nearly as equal size as practicable.  Maximum overall deviation of the no more than 10%, (i.e. plus or minus 5%)  Deviation is the measure of how much a district or plan varies from the ideal.  Good faith efforts to make deviations as small as practicable must be made. 

There are forty House seats.  Each has to be as close to equal as possible.  

The official 2020 total Alaska population which is  733,391 divided by 40 = 18,334.775.  

But it's impossible to have a fraction of people in every district, so it's necessary to have some deviance.  .  Ideally, each district deviates from 18,335 by less than 1% (That would be 183 people). 

But while mappers have to get all the districts equal, they also have requirements for compactness and for "relatively socio-economically integrated areas"   That's why some districts can deviate up to 10%, though that is discouraged.  Urban districts with lots of population should be under 1% deviation if possible.

So here's an enlargement of the first map below.  It's pointing to "percentage of deviation from the ideal"  That should make sense to you now, but let me repeat the details again.

Population Balance refers to the fact that every House district has to be as close to 1/40 (there are 40 house districts) of the official 2020 total Alaska population which is  733,391 divided by 40 = 18,335.  

I'm confused by the numbers in the red circle.  It says percentage, and 8.860 percent is under 10%.  But I don't know why it has a comma instead of a period.  I have an email into the Board to clarify that.  It could just be the way that software handles percentages.  I'll update this when I hear back. [UPDATE July 22, 2021:  Yes these are numbers and if I had read the note more carefully, I would have realized you need to hove the cursor over the numbers to get the percentage of deviation.]

Now, here's the email:

"Good morning subscribers,

Thanks for your continued interest in Alaska’s redistricting process. Census data for 2020 is expected in late August and the Board is looking forward to getting to work.  Drawing maps will be challenging and public feedback is an essential part of the process. 

 

One of the ways you can provide input is by sending the Board your map ideas. To facilitate this the Board is working with The Redistricting Lab at Tufts University to deploy a customized, web-based, publicly available map drawing tool.  This platform is available now for your beta testing at: 

https://www.akredistrict.org/create/

REMINDER: the data and blocks shown are from the 2010 Census; the 2020 data will be uploaded in late August – we’ll send out a notice at that time. Any maps you create until then will be based on 2010 population data and so are not appropriate for formal submission to the Board.

The web mapping tool uses a "paint brush" concept (for coloring) to shade in areas you wish to assign to a district, which are denoted by 40 individual colors.  This customized version allows painting at the Census block level, the most precise level of geography available and the same one which the Board will use to draw new legislative districts.

As you "paint" a district, the population will be dynamically totaled under the Population tab.  To assist you, under the Data Layers tab you'll find tools to overlay the state with existing legislative district boundaries, incorporated city limits, borough boundaries and school districts.

If you would like to view population distribution you may make selections to shade Census blocks with population density under Data Layers -> Demographics -> Population.

The system supports undo/redo, and allows you to "lock already drawn districts". This enables drawing perfectly adjoining districts by respecting blocks you have already colored into a previous district.

Use the Save/Update button to save your work, share plans with others (copy and send the URL) or submit directly through the website for Board consideration (once we have gone live with 2020 data, expected at the end of August).

Please take a little time to experiment with the tool so we can identify any bugs prior to our public launch. Your feedback would be appreciated; simply reply to this email.

Thanks,

Peter Torkelson

Executive Director

Alaska Redistricting Board 

P.S.  Here are a few tool tips to get you started:"   [Below are the two example maps that were at the end of the email.  You can enlarge them considerably by clicking on them.]

 

Redistricting Board Goes To Redistricting Seminar in Salt Lake City Next Week

I was tempted put the word 'junket' in the title, but I wasn't sure everyone would know that I was just joking.  This is a serious conference that the Board members and staff should attend.  Not only will they get more information about the latest ideas on redistricting (like how the recent US Supreme Court decision to weaken Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act might mean), but also to meet people from other states doing redistricting.   

The latest announcement from the Board:

"Alaska Redistricting Board Member Attendance at NCSL

A quorum of the Alaska Redistricting Board will attend the "Get Ready to Redistrict" seminar hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures in Salt Lake City Utah from Wednesday, July 14 through Friday, July 16 for educational purposes only.  No Board action will be taken.

What: Educational seminars, NCSL Redistricting Conference

Where: Downtown Marriott at City Creek, Salt Lake City, Utah

When: July 14 - July 16, 2021"

While this is NOT a board meeting where official action will be taken, all the Board Members, apparently, are going to Salt Lake City, so they are required to post an announcement.  It's one of those sticky areas.  Surely, they will have three or more members together talking about what they learned.  Maybe over lunch or dinner.  And those conversations should be available to the public by law.  

When legislators go to such conferences, only a few go to anyone single conference, so there's usually not a quorum.  Perhaps it would be useful for a Board member or the staff to do some unofficial minutes of any meetings of three or more members to let the public know what they're learning and how they think it affects what they'll be doing.  

The conference is put on by the NCSL (National Council of State Legislatures).  Their mission is:

"NCSL: Our Mission

NCSL, founded in 1975, represents the legislatures in the states, territories and commonwealths of the U.S. Its mission is to advance the effectiveness, independence and integrity of legislatures and to foster interstate cooperation and facilitate the exchange of information among legislatures.

NCSL also represents legislatures in dealing with the federal government, especially in support of state sovereignty and state flexibility and protection from unfunded federal mandates and unwarranted federal preemption. The conference promotes cooperation between state legislatures in the U.S. and those in other countries.

In addition, NCSL is committed to improving the operations and management of state legislatures, and the effectiveness of legislators and legislative staff. NCSL also encourages the practice of high standards of conduct by legislators and legislative staff."

This organization has traditionally been bi-partisan, with the goal to promote effective and efficient practices in state legislatures.  I haven't kept track of them lately, but their values used to be (and probably still are) following the rule of law for the public interest.  

Highly partisan organizations, like ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council), have tried to mimic the look of NCSL, but with a heavily partisan twist.  While NCSL offers states model legislation to neutrally (as I said above, to promote the rule of law and the public interest) ALEC offers model legislation that pushes the agenda of their sponsors, like the Kochs.

Here's the agenda for the conference next week. (You have to scroll down the page and then select the day you want.  This is pretty long, so you might consider reading these on the days they are happening.)

Wednesday, July 14

2-3:30 p.m.: Optional: Redistricting Basics

If this is your first redistricting cycle, join us for this session. Experienced legislative staff will provide a foundation on redistricting based on NCSL’s Redistricting Starter Kit.

3:45-5 p.m.: Option A: Race and Redistricting: Civil Rights Groups Speak

French fries and ketchup. Sunscreen and the beach. Redistricting and lawsuits. Three classic pairings. Hear from groups that represent minority communities in the U.S. on what they’re focused on this decade when it comes to redistricting. Who knows—maybe what we learn will forestall a lawsuit or two.

3:45-5 p.m.: Option B: Census Redistricting Data Program Evaluation | Primary Topic: "Geography"

In this session, census redistricting program liaisons and other users of census redistricting geographic data are invited to come talk through the strengths and weaknesses of the already completed geographic definition and delivery of geographic materials from the 2020 census. Feedback on the 2020 redistricting data program's geographic operations will be used in the formulation of the 2030 census redistricting data program. Feedback is also welcome on other aspects of the program.

5-7 p.m.: Welcome Reception

Thursday, July 15

6:45 a.m.: Optional Morning Run

Studies show exercise improves brain functionality. This run, though, is all about going slow and being social.

7 a.m.-3 p.m.: Registration

7:30-8:45 a.m.: Breakfast and Welcome

Eat first, then at 8:15 a.m. we’ll welcome everyone and review what's ahead

9-10:15 a.m.: The Census

Option A: Census and Data for Beginners

Are you a non-data expert working on redistricting? This session is for you. Learn what data the census will be released, a bit about how it can be used and an introduction to other types of data used in redistricting so you and your data colleagues can communicate effectively with each other.

Option B: Census and Data for Experts

In this advanced session, we’ll cover differential privacy (and if it makes a difference), working with race and ethnicity data, how election turnout impacts the accuracy of political data, and the use of party registration as a data layer. Warning: nerding out likely.

10:30-11:45 a.m.: Take Your Pick

Option A: Meet with Your Redistricting Software Experts

Your state has probably chosen its redistricting software by now. Here’s your chance to meet your software vendor, discuss its features and pick up tips. These sessions will be run by the vendors themselves, not by NCSL.

Option B: Short Takes on Three Key Issues

Gain insight into three issues that are easy to overlook: local redistricting (yes, it’s required by law); the “hand off” of redistricting data to election officials so they can prepare for next year’s primaries; and why some states are adopting inmate data reallocation laws.

Noon-12:45 p.m.: Lunch

1-2:15 p.m.: Choose Your Own Adventure

Option A: Balancing Conflicting Criteria

Criteria (or principles) are the rules of the road in redistricting, and they vary by state. Sometimes, though, they pull in opposite directions and it’s hard to comply with them all. Hear veterans of the redistricting process explain how to strike a balance between potentially irreconcilable mandates.

Option B: Data Details

What can redistricters learn from data sources beyond the census? For instance, in redistricting, what does voter registration provide and how does it differ state to state? Does it matter whether votes were cast by mail, in-person on Election Day or during an early in-person voting period? How does party enrollment data inform decision-making? Is there a way to know just how independent the non-D and non-R voters are? What’s turnout got to do with it? Dig deep with data experts.

2:30-3:45 p.m.: Redistricting Litigation in the 2020s

Redistricting litigation for the 2010 cycle didn’t end until 2019. Will the coming cycle be just as intense? Hear nationally recognized litigators discuss the current state of the law, new trends to watch in the 2020s, and possibly make predictions for the future.

4-5:15 p.m.: Threading the Needle: The Voting Rights Act and Racial Gerrymandering

Two federal requirements governing redistricting involve race. The Voting Rights Act directs states to ensure that certain minority groups have the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice, whereas the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment prohibits race from predominating during redistricting decision-making. Confusing, right? Listen as two expert litigators parse the nuances created by the U.S. Supreme Court and how states can walk the legal compliance line.

5:30-6:30 p.m.: Connecting With Your Peers

Option A: Republicans

This is an ancillary session run by Republicans, for Republicans. For more information, contact Kylie Bongaart.

Note: This is not an NCSL-sponsored session.

Option B: Democrats

This is an ancillary session run by Democrats, for Democrats. For more information, contact Jeff Wice.

Note: This is not an NCSL-sponsored session.

Option C: Nonpartisan Staff Reception

If you’re a legislative staffer and don’t belong at the partisan sessions, get to know your colleagues from around the nation.

Evening on your own

Friday, July 16

7 a.m.: Optional: Walking Tour

See the sites with Brian Bean, a staffer with the Utah Senate. Meet in the lobby.

7:30-8:45 a.m.: Breakfast

Eat first—then at 8 a.m., choose which break out session at attend.

8-9:15 a.m.: Getting Along

Option A: Lowering the Temperature When Legislatures Redistrict

If you read the press, redistricting boils down to just one thing: power. Is that really true? Bring your breakfast to hear from legislators who have threaded their way through the trials and tribulations of legislative infighting.

Option B: Working With Your Commission

In states where commissions have primary responsibility for redistricting, what’s the legislature’s role? Bring your breakfast and hear from former commissioners and legislators who worked with commissions to find out how colleagues in prior decades stayed engaged while respecting the legal division between line-drawers and policymakers.

9:30-10:45 a.m.: Unseen Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

You don’t know what you don’t know. Fortunately, there are people who have done redistricting who DO know what you don’t know. Attend this session to learn from attorneys the pitfalls that can trip up the best-planned redistricting process—so you can avoid their mistakes.

11 a.m.-Noon: Legislative Privilege and Transparency

Legislative privilege is a critical part of the lawmaking process. Without it, policymakers wouldn’t be free to ask candid questions and talk openly with their staff. And yet, in this cycle “transparency” is being heralded. Learn the nuances of this area of the law so you can better understand what will happen when you end up in court over redistricting.

12:15-1:30 p.m.: What Court Will Look Like (and Box Lunch)

Odds are, you’ll be sued over redistricting. What will that lawsuit look like? This panel of litigants, litigators and a judge will walk you through the life of a redistricting lawsuit so you have an idea of what may happen if your maps end up in court. Bring in your box lunch.

1:30-2 p.m.: Ask Us Anything

Faculty will answer anything anyone cares to ask so we leave the Beehive State with exactly the information you need for the redistricting work about to begin.

3-4 p.m.: Optional: Tour of Utah State Capitol 

Want An Inside Look At Alaska's Redistricting? They're Hiring An Administrative Assistant

From the email:

"Good morning subscribers -- a note to let you know that the Board is seeking professional administrative help for the coming map drawing cycle.

 

The applicant must work well under pressure and be able to quickly shift from various administrative tasks including reception, travel arrangements, correspondence, and document preparation.

 

The job listing is here –>

Peter Torkelson
Executive Director
Alaska Redistricting Board"

and from the link:

"Job Search ResultsJob Title Job TypeSalary Closing Posted DepartmentLocationCategory

Administrative Assistant

Seasonal$1,873.50 - $2,477.25 Biweekly

07/16/21 06/24/21

Legislative AffairsAnchorage, 

AKAdministrative Assistant"

Redistricting Board Meets To Learn Mapping Software

 I stopped by the Legislative Information Office in Anchorage yesterday (Tuesday) to see part of the 2nd day of training.  This is what the whole room looked like when I came in to sit down.  The only other spectator turned out to be the son of the trainer.  But I heard that several people were there Monday. 

The Board members are up front.  To the left are the Board's two attorneys, to the right are the staff.  With his back to us is the consultant who flew up to do the training.  He and his son ended up sleeping Sunday night on the floor at SEATAC because a bunch of flights were cancelled due to the weather.  [All the photos open larger and sharper if you click on them]

To the left are Board members Melanie Bahnke and Nicole Borromeo.  (Brief bios of all the Board members are here.)

On this side we see (left to right) Board chair John Binkley and members Bethany Marcum and Budd Simpson.  

Attorneys Lee Baxter and lead attorney Matt Singer.   This was the only shot I took of the two and Singer was actually sitting up attentively most of the time.  

And here's Eric Sandberg and Peter Torkelson, executive director.  The previous post was about my meeting with Peter and TJ last week.  TJ was out picking up sweets for the Board when I got there.  Eric was a Dept. of Labor computer guy who was a technical expert for the previous board and my understanding is they have a similar arrangement this year.  Eric was the go-to guy for all the technical problems.  

The meeting turned out not quite as boring as I expected.  Well, first, I stayed less than an hour, and second, Peter invited me to play with the software on his computer.  Although this was an official meeting because more than two Board members were meeting (and so it was posted ahead of time and people could attend or call in), it was really a training session and much more informal.  Nicole Borromeo at one point asked me who I was taking pictures for (all the meetings ten years ago, there were never any audience members addressed or allowed to speak.)  When I told her, the Chair welcomed me.  (We had communicated by email a few times.)  Monday was, as I understand it, the first time the Board members had all been together and met each other in person.  

I looked up "autoBound EDGE" the software they're using.  

and got this brief description here.

You can see this better if you click on it or go to the website

One of the attorneys told me they are working to have software available for the public to use when the census data arrives in August so people can experiment and make their own maps.  I think that's important for two reasons:  1) it helps people understand how complicated it is to divide the state into 40 districts with equal population and meeting the federal and state requirements for compactness, social/economic integrity, and contiguity, among a few other parameters.  

My brief introduction to the software told me its complicated (there are lots of options for what maps you look at (blocks, tracts, districts, and subdivisions of each of those and lots of options to use different tools to add area into a district or take it out, etc.)  The most complex software I use regularly is Photoshop and I've taken university level classes on it and I only use a small fraction of what it's capable of.  This seems to have the same level of depth and breadth.  

This webpage gives some visual examples of some of the layers the Board will be using and it also says there's a version for citizens to use.  Let's see.  I'll keep prodding the Board to get the software available to the public before the data arrives so that people can start learning how to use it.

There are online videos for how to work this software and it's available to the public.  Though I'm not sure that when we get to the free software for the public, that it will be the same software the Board will be using.  And I haven't found that page yet.  

But I hope that there are lots of folks out there who might think about the mapping of Alaska's legislative districts and a challenging game and jump in.  

Went To My First Indoor Meeting - At The Redistricting Board

I'm slowly moving out into a more normal life.  Wednesday I met with the Alaska Redistricting Board Executive  Director, Peter Torkelson, and the Deputy Director, TJ Presley. 

 Here's some of what we talked about.

1.  This is a waiting period.  The total number of Alaskans as of the 2020 census has come in.  While the actual number is constantly changing, this is the number that will be used:   733,391.  That means each district needs to be as close to 18,335 people as possible.

18,335 comes from dividing 733,391 by 40, the number of Alaska House seats. There are 20 Senate seats, each made up of two House seats. So Senate districts will be just about 36,670.  

But the detailed numbers for each census tract are NOT yet available.  Last time (2011) they came March 15.  But because of the pandemic and other counting issues, it's taking longer this time.  So the staff has some time as they await the data which is due maybe mid-August to beginning of September.   

2.  What they're doing while waiting for the Census numbers to come in?   jjj

The two have been giving presentations to city councils around the state recently.  Generally it's Peter or TJ. If a Board member is in the area they might drop by.  They've been to Ketchikan, Kodiak, Barrow, Bethel, Soldotna and Valdez, and to Homer and Seward by zoom.  A couple of places said they weren't interested in a presentation.  Below is a copy of the slides they've been using.  Remember that when they give the presentation they can talk and explain what this all means.  But much of it is probably self explanatory.  If you have question,  contact the redistricting board staff.

Redistricting Introduction 6-16-21 by Steve on Scribd

An Anchorage presentation is set for June 25 - whoops, guess I missed it.  But I think the Botanical Garden was a better choice anyway today.  The Juneau presentation is set for August 9.  

They've also been keeping up on redistricting news and technology and trying to make sure this round of redistricting goes as smoothly as possible.  

3.  Mapping Software Training - Monday - Wednesday June 28, 29, 30 at the LIO (Legislative Information Office).  The public is invited to attend and watch.  There won't be opportunities to use the software.  There's nothing more boring than watching other people get software instruction when you don't have access to a computer with that software.  However, the board is looking for other software that the public can use to make their own maps.  They believe that if people can work with the actual data to make their own maps, they will have a better idea of the difficulties of trying to get 40 districts with 18,335 people that meet the other constitutional requirements of compactness, contiguity, and socio-economic integrity. (These are terms from the Alaska State Constitution.) There's more detail on this in a post from the previous redistricting board here.  That post looks at Federal and State requirements.  Scroll down for the State requirements.  

Where:

  -  Anchorage Legislative Information Office

  -  1500 W Benson Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99503

  -  Denali Conference Room, 1st floor

When:

  -  Monday, June 28 from 10am - Noon and 1:30 - 3:30pm (approximate)

  -  Tuesday, June 29 from 9:30am - Noon and 1:30 - 3:30pm (approximate)

  -  Wednesday, June 30 from 9:30am - Noon and 1:30 - 3:30pm (approximate)

There's more information on my Redistricting Board tab on top, or click here.  It includes phone numbers to call in and I think you can watch it remotely - that's why it's in the LIO.

4. Testing the fairness of the maps the Board makes.

We also talked about the Voting Rights Act consultant the Board chose.  It seems that Michigan will use him too and the Republicans there are steamed.  But given Michigan Republicans - remember they did a practice takeover of their capitol well before January 6 - that's probably a good sign.  I mentioned that the VRA consultant is less important now that Alaska isn't required to get preclearance before deciding on their maps.  But Peter and TJ disagreed, echoing one of the consultant candidates (they said), that Section 2 of the VRA still applies and requires that minority districts not be diminished.  

We also talked about the impact of Ranked Choice Voting - since one of the VRA applicants mentioned they had someone who could analyze that.  But there seems to be conflicting opinion on how that will affect minority voting.  

They also mentioned that the Board isn't going to have political parties in the data so that they can't be accused of using it to manipulate the districts, though we all agreed that Alaska is small enough that lots of people have a sense of neighborhoods that are particularly partisan.  

Also, they've agreed, as I understood it, not to have a policy of protecting incumbents.  

5.  Location of Alaska Redistricting Board Office

 The Board's Office is in the University Mall, Room 141.  This is the far south hallway.  The DMV is on the east end.  Didn't know there was a DMV there?  Neither did I.  It's where the UAA offices used to be.  Which were where the University theaters used to be.  

The office space is sort of open concept.  The previous Board  had offices in the Sunshine Mall.  I think they were smaller, but better configured.  Maybe that even had some walls moved around.  I don't know.  

Here's looking down the hall to the DMV.  You get in through the South entrance to the mall.  

Redistricting Board Meeting May 26, 2021 - Board Picks VRA Consultant, But All Discussion Of Candidates Was In Executive Session

It was clear from the agenda that most of the meeting would be in Executive Session  to interview candidates for Voting Rights Act consultant.  They carefully explained the legal bases for going into Executive Session.  They estimated they would take 45 minutes per interview which would have been 135 minutes.  The phone was muted for just about two hours.  

They also announced beforehand that after the contract with the VRA consultant was signed, they would let us know who the three applicants were and give their proposals to anyone who requests them.  

My understanding of Executive Session in Alaska is that their discussion about who they were going to choose should have been in public.  But I"m sure they would argue they couldn't have had that discussion without revealing confidential information.  They did vote in public, but it was clear that all the discussion was held in Executive Session.  They'd already agreed before they came out of Executive Session.  

Here are my rough notes of the meeting:

2:35 - Meeting connected but LIO connection can't hear them.  So just hear the LIO person asking if they can hear her.  

2:42pm - starting to hear things - discussing training for computer redistricting program.

2:43pm - opening meeting.  Apologizing for technical problem delay

Establish quorum - taking roll - all there

John:  would like one change, item 5.  Haven't read minutes from past meetings and I'd like to hold off til next meeting so I can read them all carefully.  Modify to eliminate item 5.  

Budd:  Not really amending. Have another suggestion for form - add footer to each page that says ARB p1/x.  That would make it much easier to find a certain page.  

John:  Don't need to make it a motion.  They've got the message and all concur.  Discussion on motion to amend the agenda?  Hearing none, lets move to adopt amended agenda.  Adopted.

First Item:  Public Testimony - anyone want to testify.  One member- Sen Giessel:  Thanks Mr. Chairman.  Good afternoon.  Calling on behalf of myself.  Thank the board about hiring a Voting Rights consultant.  Worried about Census Bureau manipulating the data.  People knowledgable about the state and you should see the distortions.  Thank you.  

John:  

???:  Quick comment:  Thank Sen Giessel.  Concerned that Alaska Native/Aemerican issues with census.  

Giessel:  Glad to hear you're engaged.  Concern that data will be unfairly distorted.  

2:50pm Sound went dead.  

2:54pm  back on - Peter three responses that seem substantially qualified. We will keep the documents confidential until after someone is chosen.  That is to protect the competitive information from the other respondents.  Also to protect confidential information.  So for those reasons go into executive session, to interview voting rights consultants.  Again explaining details of legal reasons for going into ES

???:  Got text message that audio dropped.

Peter:  We paused for that and got it corrected.  Nothing was missed. 

2:50pm John:  Going into ES.  We set aside 45 minutes for each interview.  There are three.  It may not take that long.  Then we'll come out and discuss and possibly take action then.  

So back by 5:15pm maybe earlier.  

First respondent 

4:53 - out of ES

Discussion:  

Rasie hand or go right to motion regarding VRA itself.

Bethany:  I move the Board move into contract with selected responded and set up contract. 

Melanie: 2nd

John:  Discussion?  No discussion?  Adopted.  

Staff and myself will negotiate the contract and get back to public.

Last item on agenda.  If not motion to adjourn?

Melanie:  So moved

John:  Seconded by Budd.  No objection.  Adjourned.  

Redistricting Board Meets Tomorrow (Wednesday) May 26 at 2:30 Mostly Executive Session

 Call-in numbers:  Anchorage 563-9085, Juneau 586-9085, Other 844-586-9085 to listen and/or give testimony.

Here's the agenda for the meeting.  Most of it is minor procedural stuff.  

They will 

1.  Take public testimony

2.  Approve minutes for all the previous meetings - since they only recently hired a transcriptionist who had go through all the old minutes and tapes and do them in the format they approved recently.  All the old minutes up for approval are available here (along with the other documents for the meeting including the RFI that applicants are responding to.)

3.  Interview respondents to the Request For Information (RFI) for a Voting Rights Act consultant.  

4.  They may vote to select a consultant after the Executive Session.  

This is less important than ten years ago, before the Supreme Court struck down the requirement for 16 states (including Alaska) to get pre-clearance of their maps from the Department of Justice before they could adopt their maps.  The current bills - in the Senate the For the People Act, also known as H.R. 1 (Redistricting is covered in Section II) and in the House the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act - may change the rules again, but it's unclear if either will pass and if one does, in time to affect current redistricting.  The Senate bill has an outline which makes it easier to find sections.  But terms to search in both are 'redistricting' and 'preclearance.'

The Voting Rights consultant interviews will be done in executive session. The Board hasn't announced how many applicants there are or who they are.  

Date: Time: Place:

May 26, 2021 2:30 pm

T eleconference:

Public Numbers: Anchorage 563-9085, Juneau 586-9085, Other 844-586-9085

1. Call to Order

2. Establish a Quorum

3. Adoption of Agenda

Agenda

4. PublicTestimony (dial in to one of the phone numbers above and indicate to the operator that you wish to testify)

5. Adoption of Minutes from past meetings

6. Executive Session for the purposes of interviewing Voting Rights Act Consultant RFI Respondents

7. Board Discussion on selection of Voting Rights Act Consultant. Possible action.

8. Adjournment

Alaska Redistricting Board - The Five Board Members [Updated]

The five Alaska Redistricting Board members are chosen by the Governor (2),  Senate President (1), House Chair (1), and the Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court (1).

Since the meetings have been available by audio only so far, I haven't had a chance to see or talk to individual Board members.  So I'm giving you some brief overviews of the Board members based on information  available online.  

[UPDATED July 24, 2021:  The Board has put up their own bios on the Redistricting website this week. Also, the pictures here are ones I found online.  My post on the board training on mapping software has my photos of board members, attorneys, and some staff members.  ]

From KTOO:

"Gov. Mike Dunleavy appointed two members of the powerful board that will draw new boundaries for legislative districts.

"Bethany Marcum of Anchorage and E. Budd Simpson of Juneau are the first of five new members to be named to the board. Marcum was an aide to Dunleavy when he was a state senator. She is the executive director of the Alaska Policy Forum, a conservative think tank. Simpson is a lawyer who has served as outside counsel to the Sealaska Corporation."

From APF website

Bethany Marcum, Anchorage

From the Alaska Policy Forum:

Bethany Marcum is the Chief Executive Officer at Alaska Policy Forum. In this role, she directs the policy priorities and strategic initiatives of the organization. By educating the public and elected officials on Alaskan issues, Bethany works to maximize individual opportunities and freedom for all Alaskans. When she's not at work, Bethany spends her time going on hunting trips all over the country and around the world."

From a State Policy Network interview with Bethany Marcum. 

"In this interview, we chat with Alaska Policy Forum‘s executive director, Bethany Marcum. Prior to joining the Forum, Bethany worked for the Alaska state legislature. Her involvement with the Forum started as a donor and occasional volunteer, then as a part-time writer, and eventually she joined the organization as a full-time team member.

Here are her insights on advancing freedom in America’s “last frontier”:

SPN: How did you first get involved in the freedom movement?

Bethany: I was about as non-political and non-informed as a person can be for most of my life. Exasperation about the 2008 bailouts brought me into the Tea Party movement and from there I gradually found my way to the policy world after seeing that rallies could not accomplish the change I wished to see.

SPN: Was there a moment or a role model that inspired you to choose work that’s dedicated to the cause of freedom and human flourishing?

Bethany: While there was a long delay before I took action, I can remember a moment around 1986. I was a small-town Midwest country girl who was in “the big city” of Boston for a few months, and I found a copy of Reason magazine on the subway.  As I thumbed through it, I thought, “Wow, there are actually people out there who think like I do. Sure didn’t know that!” And that was the end of that for over 20 years. Flash forward to my wake-up in the Tea Party movement in 2009 when I saw a copy of Reason magazine at an event. My first thought: “Holy moly, those people are still at it. And now I’m one of them!”

As a way to get a sense of her values, here the mission and principles of APF,  the organization she heads:

"MISSION

Our mission is to empower and educate Alaskans and policymakers by promoting policies that grow freedom for all.

SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF SOUND PUBLIC POLICY

• Free people are not equal, and equal people are not free.
• What belongs to you, you tend to take care of; what belongs to no one or everyone tends to fall into disrepair.
• Sound policy requires that we consider long-run effects and all people, not simply short-run effects and a few people.
• If you encourage something, you will get more of it; if you discourage something, you will get less of it.
• Nobody spends someone else’s money as carefully as he spends his own.
• Government has nothing to give anybody except what it first takes from somebody, and a government that’s big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have.
• Liberty makes all the difference in the world.

Budd Simpson, Juneau

From the Simpson, Tillinghast, Sheehan & Araujo, P.C Law Firm website:

E. Budd Simpson devotes a large portion of his practice to serving as the principal outside legal counsel to Sealaska Corporation (one of the twelve Alaska Native regional corporations formed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act), which has been a client of his since 1978. Mr. Simpson's practice includes the timber, banking, resource development, real estate, subsurface, risk management, personnel, state securities regulations, and litigation activities of the corporation.

He is also General Counsel for The Juneau Empire, the region's largest daily newspaper, and its parent company, Morris Communications Corporation, which has media holdings throughout the state and the Lower 48.

Martindale-Hubbell awarded Mr. Simpson its highest rating, AV. He is a member of the Alaska Bar Disciplinary Board and chairs the Alaska Bar Fee Arbitration Panel in the First Judicial District. He is a former President and served on the Executive Board of the Southeast Alaska Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America from 1985 to 2005. He served as a member of the Alaska State Physical Therapy Board for six years, and was a director of the Port of Juneau, Docks and Harbors Board, from 1996 to 2008, including two terms as Chair."

John Binkley, Fairbanks - Chair of the Alaska Redistricting Board. 

Image from Wikipedia

From Wikipedia:

"John Emerson "Johne" Binkley (born February 4, 1953 in Fairbanks, Alaska)[1] is a riverboat pilot, businessman and Republican politician from the U.S. state of Alaska. Binkley served for one term apiece in the Alaska House of Representatives and the Alaska Senate during the mid and late 1980s, but is perhaps better known for his candidacy for governor of Alaska in the 2006 primary election. In that election, he finished far behind Sarah Palin (who would go on to win the governorship), but also far ahead of one-term incumbent governor Frank Murkowski, by then deeply unpopular amongst Alaskans.

In 2017, the Anchorage Daily News was acquired by Binkley Co., a group run by John's son, Ryan Binkley. [2]

Binkley was elected chair of the non-partisan Alaska Redistricting Board in 2020, following his appointment to the five-member board by Senate President Cathy Giessel."

  Nicole Borromeo, Anchorage

Image from Census site

  "Alaska Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham,    has named Alaska
Federation of Natives attorney Nicole Borromeo to the board in charge of redrawing the state’s House and Senate districts after the 2020 census."   (From ADN)

From the Census Bureau website:

"Nicole Borromeo serves the Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the Alaska Federation of Natives, the oldest and largest Native organization in Alaska. In addition to providing executive level leadership, Ms. Borromeo advises AFN’s Board and President on a wide array of Alaska Native legislative and litigation matters, including civil and voting rights.

Prior to joining AFN, Ms. Borromeo held positions with the reputable law firms of Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP; Patton Boggs, LLP; and Sonosky, Chambers, Sasche, Miller & Munson, LLP.

Her legal work has included researching policies, regulations, and laws related to federally recognized tribes, analyzing matters impacting Alaska Native corporations, and representing tribes and tribal consortia in a wide variety of areas, including governmental affairs, business transactions, and infrastructure development.

Ms. Borromeo’s volunteer civic engagement includes participation on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Workgroup, to which she was appointed in 2017. Additionally, she is a Founding Board Member of Justice Not Politics Alaska, a nonpartisan organization promoting the independence of Alaska’s judiciary.

Since 2008, Ms. Borromeo has also served as a mentor to girls, young women, and minorities of all ages who are considering legal and judicial careers through the Color of Justice Program.

Ms. Borromeo is a shareholder of Doyon, Limited, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) regional corporation for Interior Alaska, and the Board Chairman for MTNT, Ltd., the ANCSA village corporation representing four Interior Alaska villages."

Melanie Bahnke, Nome

"Alaska Chief Justice Joel Bolger has picked Melanie Bahnke of Nome for the final seat on the board that will redraw Alaska’s election boundaries following the 2020 census. Bahnke is the president and CEO of regional nonprofit Kawerak Inc. and is an Alaska Federation of Natives board member.

Bahnke is an undeclared voter, meaning the board will have two undeclared voters and three Republicans."   [From the ADN]  

From the Alaska Federation of Natives website.   

"Melanie is the President and CEO of Kawerak, Inc. and has been employed by Kawerak since 1999. In 2012 she was promoted to the President position. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Rural Development from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and a Bachelor of Education degree in Elementary Education from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Melanie is a tribal member of the Native Village of Savoonga and speaks St. Lawrence Island Yupik as her first language. She is married to Kevin Bahnke, and they have three children."

 

Alaska Officially Has 733,391 People - According To The 2020 Census - UPDATED

Just got his email from Peter Torkelson, executive director of the Alaska Redistricting Board.  (You can subscribe to these email updates from the redistricting board here. 

"Good afternoon subscribers -- A few minutes ago the US Census announced the total population numbers for each state.  Alaska's official 2020 resident population is 733,391. This means the population target for new legislative districts will be 733,391/40 = 18,335."

Let's take that apart a bit.  Nothing more than 3rd grade arithmetic at most, I promise.  Alaska has forty state house seats.  The state senate is made up of pairings of those forty seats - that is two adjacent house seats make up one senate seat. 

Each house seat should have the same number of people in it as every other house seat.  Of course, that would be quite a feat.  So the goal is to make them within 1-2% of each other.  In cases where this just isn't possible, the absolute maximum difference is 10%.  (This is based on my memory from last year.  Once the Board gets these number broken down by census districts, the Board will get a lot busier and we'll get these details refreshed.)

So, if there are 40 districts that have to have equal population, you have to divide the total population by 40.  Which is what Peter has done to get 18,335 residents per district.  Actually, my calculator says it's 18,334.775.  Which does mean that it is truly impossible to get all the districts exactly equal.  And since the time they recorded everybody, people have moved out of the state or into the state and new people have been born and some people have died.  So the number is always in flux.

The magic number for each district based on the 2010 data was 17,755.  So each district this time will have 580 more people.  Theoretically.  

I'd add that this includes all Alaska residents, not just those of voting age, not even just US citizens, but all the people who live here.  

To put that in context, [see below] people have applied for Alaska Permanent Fund this year.  [I thought I was going to get that number from the PFD office in Juneau.  Chris transferred me to Corey, but he didn't answer the phone. (It is after 4pm now, though it wasn't when I started these calls.)  I'll add the number in when I get it]

[UPDATED 5pm:  Corey got back to me.  They are still entering paper applications into the system by hand.  As of this afternoon at 4:30pm, they have 643,117 applications and he expects 25-30,000 more.]

Meanwhile  here are the PFD's numbers for population and applications since 2020.

 Remember the magic number:  18,335