Two More: District 6 and District 17&32 (Eagle River)

4:40pm

Geri Simon - attorney by trade, work for village corporation here in Anchorage, speaking on my own behalf. Process is very important to my family and people home in the Interior. As you know District 6 has 90 odd villages. Mine has 100+ people on a good day. Want to keep the district as much as possible as it is. Good representation now. Everyone has equal opportunity to gain from our current representation. Interior Alaska saw the greatest out migration - to Fairbanks mostly. As you draw the lines take those folks into consideration. Some parts of Fairbanks has a large number of Alaska Native population. I've worked with the Native vote process since 1998 and used numbers then. Now better technology.

Also encourage group to visit some of the more rural areas District 6 - while you go to Bethel, many won't be coming in from outlying communities. About $340 from
to Fairbanks one way. I work for Tyonek here. It's $150 one way for a half hour flight. If people go into to town to testify it will be because they also have a medical appointment.

Pete Giessel - District 17 resident. Don't want to waste your time. ER districts horribly mangled, especially 32 from ER to Hope. Divides community, doesn't keep them together. Part is much more like 17 voters, the rest doesn't share our concerns. It's a bad division. Those parts of 32 should be put back with rest of Eagle River.

Bruce Schulte on District 28 Changes

During the break I got to talk to one of the folks who testified, Bruce Schultze, who is from District 28 and had suggestions.  He also talked about how he found out about the meeting - he got a call from Randy Ruedrich.

District 28 is in south Anchorage.

AFL-CIO, Logging Contacts, and District 21

About 4:05pm three more people:

Joelle Hall

Joelle Hall - AFL-CIO Political Director. Thank you all for doing this. Public service not being paid, this is a big task. I wish there were 40 million more behind me making good use of your time.

AFL CIO member of Alaskans for Fair Redistricting. Our view, we'd like on the record, we feel the current districting has created a good balance for Alaska voters. The most competitive district is the best for the district. When two candidates both have a good chance to win is the best - then the best candidates will win. At least nine highly competitive districts. 1/4 of the House. In any given year, the quality of the candidates, campaign, mood of people. Things can change. 53% of Alaskans are non-partisans and in competitive districts, they get represented.

In a time with lots of stridency on both sides of the aisle - Alaska is different, Alaska has cooperation.
Highly competitive districts and folks working across the aisle evidence that the plan is working well. I know lots of population change is a great challenge, but urge you to retain the competitiveness. Gives Alaska the ability to be different in the situation.

Housekeeping. Saw in public notice - I saw some administrative meetings before public hearings, can that business part be webcast or audio cast?

Steve Aufrecht [That would be this blogger]: I've been sitting at these meetings. Last time you discussed being able to talk as individuals to members of the public. I think that's the right decision. I would ask that you consider logging those contacts, at least ones more than a few minutes, so that public is aware. All the paper you get you will put up on the website. So you should at least list all the oral contact as well. Thank you.

Bill Noll

Bill Noll: District 21, among other things, Chair of Republican party in District 21.
1. Has seen growth in population but is 1400 or so below the 17,755, as way to amend that, 21 has added that precinct on top of Stuckagain Heights - the old Joe Henry, Roger Premo district. It is now in District 32, one of the big districts. Basher could be added to 21. Don't have a cure - Senate Distric K, 21 and 22 is overall short and we welcome anything reasonable. East Side of Anchorage has up trend with the valley.
Another area - 36 comes to mind - Brother Brodie and I worked to gether in Valdez. They are terribly short in 36 - about 3000 - mutually interest both culturally and i industry - fish. East-West Access could reach out to Cold Bay even - they'd have a fishing similarity. Congratulations on Kotzebue numbers coming out well.

Fish related to Kodiak - earthquake in Japan. Is anyone paying attention to the economic impact of earthquake on fish. Sendai and that area north of Tokyo big problem and lots of buyers there. Off track from the assignment. But I see leaders of the state here, I'll call Alan Austerman to see what can be done for Alaska industry.

Torgerson: Recess at 4:15pm and wait for next wave.

Video - Redistricting Board Attorney White and ED Miller

I asked the attorney, Michael White, about whether the public would have access to the computer software they are using to manipulate the data and test out different plans. He suggested I talk to the Executive Director, Ron Miller.

More testimony, a map

Again, this is live blogging so there will be lots of typos and mispellings - particularly of people's names.  Sorry.

Vicky Russell - Retired teacher. Alaska Women's Political Caucus. Glad you've adopted and shared guidelines. Appreciate your commitment to avoid politican and racial gerrymandering. The 2001 apportionment led to balance politically and allowed our legistors to work together. And want to be sure Alaska Natives represented fairly in legislature. Remind you these are important decisions, due care, represent the rights of all Alaskans to be represented fairly.

Torgerson: During the break, legal gave us new guidelines for Federal. Can you walk us through the memo?

Michael White: This is beyond administrative issues - full discussion with the board pushing more than we can do. Perhaps . . . any upcoming meetings teleconferenced? We could meet then so people could listen and hear. Don't want people to say it isn't on the agenda.

At the break talk to each of you, but no notice to public of this issue.

Quiet - they're thinking.

Torgerson: OK, we'll stand in recess at 2:53pm. They went out for coffee and snacks and are walking back in now at about 3:11.

If you are in downtown Anchorage, come by and just ask questions, look at the maps.

Redistricting Board - A Couple More Comments

Attorney Michael White:

Ms. Lamb[nd]reth's comment on the first part is right - last sentence of par. 2c and move it up to be the last paragraph 2b.

The second part I don't agree with her yet - removing unavoidable before retrogression


Heidi Drygas - Gen Council from Alaska District Council Laborers. AK faces significant challenges because of growth and loss in parts of the state. But we should resist the urge to make significant changes. Districts we have now work well, and to the extent we can maintain them we should. Resulted in good party representation in the state as well as Native representation. Current districts under 2001 plan represents the people well.


2:14pm: Deborah Williams: Reserve bulk of comments to March 31 because we are eagerly looking at numbers and drawing lines. Appreciate that opportunity to present the plans March 31.
1. You've already taken care of - the guideline issues.
2. Saw in most recent notice, your desire to have administrative board meetings prior to the public hearings. I would recommend you do one of two things at the prehearing board meetings;
a. telephonically communicated - notify people on mailing list and calling number. If technically impossible.
b. have staff as quickly as possible summarize the meeting send out info to mailing list.

Thank you for your hard work. Very impressed by your deliberations, Last meeting was outstanding.

2:19 recess until next wave.

Board continued to sit as a group and talk about the Federal law.

Torgerson: Stop talking until we're on the record.

Redistricting Live Blogging continued

This is really rough and spellings uncertain.


Laura Rheingold - District 32 - from Hope to ER, We're hoping that the ER part of 32 will reunify ER. I'm on Parks and REc board. We have our own service area. We have our own seperate ER issues. Reps for each Community Councils, REC: Put part of 32 in ER back into ??

Natalie Landreth - Paper copies for all of you. Sr. Staff attorney Native American Rights Fund.
Fishing Rights, Tribal SElf Determination, and Voting Rights. Nick case established that Election materials be translated into Yupik in certain parts of the state. One of few 203 fully litigated in US and only one where courts required Native language for voting area. About 76% speak Yupik first. Illiteracy rate is 15X national average because there were no schools in the villages.
REquired in Bethel meeting that you have live interpretation in Yupik when you are there. Otherwise, many communities and thousands of voters will be left out of process.

2. I understand there were draft redistricting guidelines. Two incorrect statements that were summarized and misleading.
2C of Fed. redistricting materials. Quote 1: Unavoidable retrogression should be No retrogression at all. We will be watching carefully. DOJ will contact us. I want you to know this in the spirit of complete transparency.

The other misleading statement: Minority group must be large cohesive and vote in a bloc. This suggests that minority group must demonstrate this. SEc. 5 only measures changes of the status quote. Sec. 2 about diluting minority vote. It looks like these two sections conflated.

Sufficiently large and compact enough to represent a majority. Large is subjective
Cohesive.
Vote as a bloc. - Bloc is the majority - I'm not getting enough of this to catch it well.

I understand the guidelines a summary and that you will engage legal counsel that will steer you correctly


Vicki Otte - chair of my village corporation. (missed other organizations she's involved with) I commend you for the public service you are taking on and wish you well. Want to clarify comment on redistricting board. One was Republican, ONe Democrat, two undeclared, and ??? That group gave us a fair and balance legislature we have today. It has been good for us today. We have a balanced Senate. When you draw new legislative districts keep that in mind and preserving incumbents as much as you can. How lines drawn means wther Alaskans will have fair representation. INsure rural Alaska continues to have a voice and is represented fairly. I know that is difficult and wish you well.

It's 1:45pm and no one else is here to testify at the moment. REcess. Until next wave comes in.

Redistricting Board Member - Robert Brodie Video

Before the meeting I got a bit of video with Board Member Robert Brodie.  I'll post it now during the break.

Public Hearing - Redistricting Board - Live Blogging from Anchorage

It's 12:30pm and all the Board members are now here and the seats in the audience have a few more people,

Meeting being called to order.
Small agenda of board business now.
Roll Call.
All board members present.
Approval of agenda
Torgerson:  Palmer meeting will be changed to Wasilla because room wasn't available in Palmer. 
Approved.
Time adjustment in Kotzebue - to accommodate flight schedule - start at 1pm and adjourn at 6pm.  Approved.
Adding Cold Bay and Nome to Post-Plan public hearing schedule.  Approved.


12:35  Going into public hearing portion.

Ron Rivas - I live in District 20 - probably grown since last change, but still remains socially integrated area.  It should remain unchanged to keep equal and just representation.  I've read how in other states gerrymandering has taken place.  I'm sure in our Great STate, such a thing wouldn't happen, however this gerrymandering process, enables areas to be adjusted so that incumbents have to run against each other.  Which wouldn't benefit its citizenry.  Citizens of each district should be vigilant so that thru redistricting process, incumbents shouldn't have to run against each other and thus weakening legislative power.  Redistricting important to keep population balanced, but not gerrymandering to strengthen one party or another

Bruce Schulte - south anchorage along the marsh, eastern boundary a little rambling - encourage the board to clean up those boundaries, put northern boundary to Campbell Creek and extent eastern boundary perhaps to Seward Highway.  Neighbors in dispar

Randy Ruedrich -   Alaskans for Fair Redistricting - Overpoints on Redistricting about what happened ten years ago.
1.  World changes rapidly.  Were brought into US seemed like partisan Demo state, by 2000 more Republicans and now about 56,000 more Republicans.  We expect a fair map to show changed results.
2.  Federal Voting Rights Act - AK only state in union where this restraint applies.  Important we retain AK Native voiting right.  That's why I testified last time about getting Alaska Natives in prisons counted in their home areas.  Will have important impact on voting counts for rural areas.  Need plan based on solid record from your hearings. 
3.  HAve plan less likelihood to be litigated.  If we have ... map.  Delayed process confuses everything.
4.  Prior gentleman talked about gerrymandering.  If you want to look at worst case - 2001 plan had 21 republicans paired and no Democrats paired.  We need to do a better job of drawing a fair and equitable plan.  Also shouldn't fit communities.  ER deliberately split after litigation.  No remedy from Supreme Court.  Your responsibility to prevent splitting communities.  South Anchorage also split - narrowest part one row of houses.  Everything else put in District 31.  Community dissected.  If not for one house, wouldn't have been contiguous.  District 28 looks more rational because of the marshlands.  South end of 28 Joe Green, north end Lesil McGuire.  That redistricting made one of them extra.  In ER, same problem.  Most of district on military bases.  ER split after the trial, board again found a way to pair Randy Phillips with Con Bunde.  Original plan to south end and linked it to Valdez.  Still links Homer and Seward.  Still not idea.  Most people have heartfelt reasons for comments.

Torgerson:  Randy on 31st we'll be accepting plans.  So bring one in and we'll allow extra time to present them. 

Jennifer Johnson - representing myself and on the Anchorage Assembly.  Want to echo previous speakers about District 28 - could come up with better boundary.  32 when I ran for office, even tho there's a lot of similar issues between ER and Hillside, ER considers itself as a community.  Inappropriate to have Dis. 32 in ER.  Dst. 32 has increased substantially, probably mostly in ER.  (Eagle River)

Judy E?  - Resident of District 32.  Have lived in ER for years.  Main concern is that its very difficult for 32 to be repped by one person.  Goes all the way to ER, Hillside, Girdwood, Hope, Alaska.  Very different neighborhoods.  ER see themselves as community within themselves.  We don't go to same community council meetings.  Feel like represented by someone they don't even know.  Hillside has some common issues with ER.  Encompasses a lot of park and vacant land, but people live there. 



Hal Gazaway - in Anchorage since 1974 - lived all over Anchorage, now in Muldoon since 1998.  Each neighborhoods has unique characteristics and unique needs.  I would ask that Muldoon be kept in tact.  Assembly is split so that North Muldoon is with ER and he didn't even know he represented us.  Muldoon and ER have very different needs. 
Ask Muldoon be kept in tact. 

Seems like there's a break now. 

Torgerson:  We'll recess and reconvene as people show up.  We'll be here until seven.

This is pretty rough, but live so I'll post now and then start again.

Not Much Happening at Redistricting Public Hearing

It's 12:20 pm at the Legislative Information Office for the Alaska Redistricting Board public hearings and just a few people are here.  Things haven't started yet.  So if you are in downtown Anchorage, walk over to 716 W. 4th Avenue Room 220, and stick your head in.