AK Redistricting Board: Fireworks in The Morning #1 #2

Big news was the firm stand member Nicole Borromeo made against the pairing of the two ER districts with JBER/Govt Hill and northeast Anchorage.  She said it hurt the large diverse community in NE Anchorage and quoted Marcum saying it could create two ER Senate districts and lead to certain lawsuits.  

Nevertheless, that's where we are.  Then the staff asked for time to calculate the change in percentage of new voters for the senate seats to determine truncation.  Board returned at 1pm.  

Below my rough running notes:  

ARB  10:35am

Marcum:  Pairings   9 is 10, 11 is 12, 13 is 14, 15 is 15, 19 is 20, 23 is 17, 18 is 24, 21 is 26

Pairings 

Roll all vote :  

Marcum yes, Binkley, yes, Borroemeo No, Bahnke no (I missed Simpson, but it must be yes)

Passes 3-2

Singer:  Consensus on all the other pairings.

Torkelson - need to calculate truncation - % of change that requires senator to have to run again.  Need an hour and a half.  

Simpson:  Only applies to Senators, not reps, right?

Torkelson:  Yes,  ten already have to run in 2022. The other ten subject to truncation.  

Binkley:  

Borromeo:  Strongly opposed 18 and 23 pairing.  The advice we got from counsel in ES,  We have received mounds and mounds of testimony.  Natural pairing 

Binkley:  Shouldn’t attack other members.  Don’t make this personal.

Borromeo:  Opened us to litigation

Vote on call the question or not:  To vote on motion of reconsideration.  

Singer:  Question

Bahnke:  I request 

Motion upheld:  Binkley voted yes, Marcum and Simpson no  

Motion to reconsider action 

No, Yes, Yes, Motion fails.  

Bahnke:  Action that was taken was complete surprise.  Accept outcome for now I offered an alternative - ability to elect someone into office, paired Govt Hill with military base.  Time, when you have to say the emperor has no clothes, While not exactly silencing minority Muldoon voters, certainly muffles them.  

Voted 3-2 again to keep the Anchorage maps. 

Reconvene at 1pm.  

1:11

Attorney Matt Singer said between 10% and 30% voter change was “substantial” but up to the Board to decide.  Over 30% must.

Borromeo proposed 16.3% or above must be truncated.  (see list below, there seems to be nine districts that were not truncated then.  Though some of them may have terms that expire in 2022 anyway.)  It’s rather confusing.  

Here's the list without the seat letters (Senate seats are A- O).  

Simpson:  ???

Singer:  25.5%  ???

Binkley:  Those who fall below this - above that line   

Torkelson:  Every senator above this line would have to run in 2022.  

Binkley:  Giving more discretion to the voters.  And have new voting system in place.  That will be another element of change giving voters more choice.  

Motion adopted.  (Not sure of the exact number they picked.)

New maps being printed now and I will print out tables

1:20  Brief recess off the record while they make the new maps - about 20 minutes.  Back at 1:40

2:00pm  Part #2

Bahnke:  I suggest to avoid partisanship, that we flip a coin.

Binkley:  I think we should make decisions based on natural cycle - that we ??

Borromeo:  I support Bahnke that flipping a coin is better.

Seconded.  

Marcum:  Alternating numbers makes more sense.

Simpson:  

Bahnke:  I don't know other than my representative.  I think flipping coin.  Start at top then go to the bottom and flip a coin.  Avoid appearance of trying to protect any incumbents.  

Binkley:  I disagree.  

Marcum:  ???  

Borromeo:  If we don't know who is who, why not flip a coin.

Vote:  Motion defeated 3-2.

Bahnke:  I propose we start with A

Binkley:  Everyone understand the motion

Borromeo:  Start with A 

Hard to hear,  Photo copier going near me.

Marcum: Chronologially logical- oppose motion.  Some political or other reason.  Why start with four, not logical.

Bahnke: Seem to have info I don't have.  You have a different piece of paper than I.  If politically motivated by motion maker, wouldn't have originally 

Binkley: These are my notes.

Fails 3-2

Marcum:  Propose we go in numerical order starting with A 2 years/four years.  22 than 24.  

Second ?  long pause.

Simpson seconds.

Obection:  2   3-2  Motion passes.  

Torkelson.  We have to process the info.

Binkley:  We can meet at 9am tomorrow.  Changed to 10am tomorrow.  Recessed.

 

I'm not sure what all happened today.  It's harder for me to hear in person at the Redistricting office than at the LIO where there are mics and online.  I'll check now to see exactly what happened.

Sticking around post meeting trying to figure out exactly what happened.  There is a newly paired and numbered Anchorage map and I’m not sure where it came from.  It’s on the wall.  Apparently Bethany Marcum redid some/many of the Anchorage Bowl maps this morning after pairing the two Eagle River house districts with JBER/Govt Hill and NE Anchorage.  

Here's that map. 

 They've also passed out a list of truncated districts and the rotations, but after to talking with different folks in the audience after the meeting, it seems to be missing info that would be useful.

I'm posting it here in a very high resolution image so you can click it and enlarge it and focus better.

After much discussion and head scratching we figured out what is missing on this chart:  next to the old district letters, there should be the date that the incumbent was due to run again.  That way you'd know the political impact of how this process worked out.  I've asked Peter if they can add that info. Or someone else could look all that up.  

I'm done.  

Back on.  Peter said they'd email out the revised chart and one with all the numbers used to figure out the truncation to people who have subscribed to the Board's email.  So look for it soon.  

Later - 6:52pm

You can see all the new maps here - statewide and House districts.

• Updated maps showing final district lines with house district numbers and senate district letters have been uploaded to the website (note: some house district numbers have been modified): www.akredistrict.org/maps

Some Reasons Why The 2 Eagle River House Districts Should Be Paired And The East Anchorage/Muldoon Districts Should Be Paired

 The Alaska Redistricting Board is on the verge of NOT pairing the two Eagle River house districts into one senate districts, and not pair the Muldoon east Anchorage districts into a senate district.  Instead, when the got a sense of the Board, it was 3 (Marcum, Binkley, and Simpson) - 2 (Bahnke and Borromeo) to pair one ER district with JBER and the other with the northeast Muldoon district.  Here are a list of reasons why that's a bad idea.

1. The key argument made for pairing the two ER house districts with JBER and Muldoon was the common Socio-economic Integration (SEI is one of the state criteria for districts)  of having active and retired military in those areas.  There were no numbers provided - just “a lot”.  In fact, there are retired military and veterans all over Anchorage.  There are other SEI factors like income, ethnicity,  and lot and house size that shows these districts are not SEI.  

2. There is no shortage of support for the military in Alaska. They have discounts at most retail outlets.  They have discounts at the DMV, at the University of Alaska.   There's Veterans Preference for jobs,  tax credits for employers who hire vets, and discounts for fishing and hunting licenses.  Discounts at state parks and on the state ferries for disabled Vets,  and discounts for all vets on the Alaska Railroad.  They have a special lounge at the airport.  Everyone loves veterans.  

3.  20% of the Senate is made up of people who have served in the military, though veterans make up 11.9% of the adult population. There are  at least four more in the House.  And there are committees for Veterans Affairs in the House and  Senate.  Plus there is a State Department of Military and Veteran Affairs.  There is no shortage of support for veterans.

4.  There are no Hmong, Samoan, Latino,  Somali, Korean Senators or representatives in the Alaska Senate or House.  These are the people who suffer the most discrimination and are more likely to be in lower income levels.  Their voice is diminished by these pairings, while the military is already one of the most favored populations in Alaska.

5. Although the ER-East Anchorage pairing might seem contiguous, the vast majority of people in the ER district live eight or more miles from Muldoon, while the two Muldoon districts are small enough together to walk across in a couple of hours.  And the populated areas of the two ER districts are far more compact than the ER-Muldoon district.  It seems that some Board members emphasize compactness when that favors their interests, deviation when that does.  They tell us that all of Anchorage is SEI so it doesn’t matter within the Anchorage Borough.  But now their key argument for these Senate pairings is SEI of the military population.  And they even said out loud that this would create two ER Senate seats.  And we all know ER is far more Republican than East Anchorage.  Eagle River's two Assembly members are much more conservative than the East Anchorage Assembly members.  [SEI = Socio-Economic Integration, one of the State requirements for districts.]

6.  While the point was made that ER and JBER folks shop in Muldoon, Muldoon folks are far less likely to go to ER or the Base to shop. And if they aren’t connected to the military, getting on base is a hassle.  

7.  East Anchorage, along Muldoon has a bustling and diverse community that works together.  There are many people of color and immigrants in that area.  Splitting them up and pairing them with the predominantly white ER weakens their representation and violates the spirit if not the letter of the VRA.  

9.  Last redistricting round, the Board paired an East Anchorage district with an Eagle River district for the Senate pairing.  The result was that the only African-American state Senator lost her next election.  This was not an accident.  And it appears the same sort of gerrymandering is being attempted with these ER and East Anchorage districts again to the detriment of very underrepresented populations.   

Please pair the two ER districts together and the East Anchorage districts together. 

AK Redistricting Board - Fixing Technical Glitches And Senate Pairings Parts #1, #2, #3, and #4

 I'll add to this post as the meeting progresses.  

Summary

[At this point they agreed on  1&2 and 3&4 in SE  39&40  37&38 Voting Rights Act districts and 33&34  in Fairbanks.  These are more or less certain, but eventually they will approve the whole state together.  Now they are in work session (still online) to individually and in pairs work on the other districts that are not such obvious pairings.]

Added Fairbanks:  33&34 downtown (noted already above)   32&36  and 31&25  

Kenai:  5&6 and 7&8  

Matsu:   25&30   37&28 and by default 29&36

More summary at the bottom.  They went into Executive Session at 5pm and never reconvened, apparently, and will open in Executive Session tomorrow morning.  It seems everything is settled except Anchorage.

Rough Notes of meeting Part 1:

ARB pm Nov. 8, 2021

1:02pm

Torkelson: Going over changes board staff had to make to based on checking details of the map. First one lowered the deviation of D39/38   by 2 people.  Move to change technical correction passed. 

Next is  more complicated.  In Wasilla.  The map got Zoom bombed and so he took down the map.  

Torkelson Explainging Matsu glitches

See the red circle- had 10 people and so the ended up changing three parts.  716 to 748.  Changed 4 blocks.  Contacted everyone by email - couldn’t wait. 

Next Cantwell - 2 or 3 people change - voted to change

Next a strip of Glen Highway - no population - voted to change

Glenn Highway Glitch

   That’s it.  Done

Binkley - appreciation for the staff all along, and particularly this weekend, and Eric, and the contractor who went over the Metes and Bounds.

Now Board set the Senate pairings.  In a work session.  On the record.  Work individually or separately, based on testimony we’ve had

Borromeo - South East suggestions?  

Simpson - Only district contiguous to D1 is D2, so suggest that and regional connections.

Binkley:  Need to go off line briefly in order to share screen.  

Simpson:  Then 3 and 4 have to be paired.  Mostly served by same Senators.  With that, motion, consensus?

recommend 1&2 and 3&4 for SE districts 

Binkley - use the #s on our final map, but that may change as we look at the pairings.

Borromeo - 

Bahnke - to the 4 VRA districts.  Matter of contiguity 39&40  37&38  seems the obvious and right thing to do.  

That was accepted by all.

1:32   Borromeo - one more - FBNS  not other options there  33&34. 

.......................................

Meeting Part 2  During the work session, Added some photos above and below the Board members working on pairings.

Melanie Bahnke

Nicole Borromeo & John Binkley

Bethany Marcum and Budd Simpson

2:24 pm

Part #3

[Here we have a battle over whether the two ER districts should be paired together, or one with JBER and the Other with north Muldoon.  As we go on break it looks like the Board is 3-2 for splitting ER house districts. That also means splitting Muldoon districts.]

3:11 Back in session

Bahnke - 6&7 5&8 reflected in testimony -  This Kenai

Binkley - 

Simpson - Hard for me to hear his low voice.  

Binkley - not seeing on this map - Cordova, etc.

Bahnke - testimony Cordova lower Kenai Peninsula, testimony about shared fishing industry, 

Borrome:  7&8 share oil and gas, 

Binkley - also Marine Highway connection between 5&6

Marcum:  Overwhelming testimony - we have nothing in common with Kodiak, that being said, I've been involved with fishing world and understand the connections between 7&8 and 5&6  - I could be comfortable either way 

Consensus:  5&6 and 7&8  Kenai

Matsu next.

Bahnke:  Little testimony here, so not bound with this

Marcum:  Let someone else

Borromeo:  

Bahnke:  Written testimony not consistent.  What are current pairings?  

Marcum:  Changed significantly.

Binkley:  29&30?  

Bahnke AFFR 26&29, 28&27 25&30 Glenn and Parks Highway

Marcum:  Testimony about fastest growing part of state and over populated plus we have Valdez:  Propose 27&28, Palmer 

Binkley:  AFFR, AFFER, and you Bethany all agree.  

Marcum:  Palmer big city and Wasilla 29&30  all places west and south of Wasilla come to Wasilla. You go through Palmer to get to Wasilla.  District with Wasilla as city center.  Other city is Valdez in 25.  Logic giving 26&25 allowing Valdez a center of the district.  

Borromeo:  Houston is also there so 29& 26  ????? Pairing Palmer and that population

Marcum:  Counter that - Houston half the population of Valdez.  Valdez hasn't had much weight in this project.  Give them some voice in the Senate.  Wasilla and Big Lake logical reasons.  

Borromeo:  AFFR 26&29  greater Wasilla in same area as Wasilla.  27&28  Fairview and Palmer - lots of testimony that Fairview is part of greater Palmer area.  25&36   Only break Borough once.  

Binkley - I like rationale that your in Big Lake you have to go to D29, where people shop.  West side of Wasilla.  Don't know what Valdez folks would think.  

Simpson:  A tough one.  Find compelling that two orgs clashed from beginning are in agreement on the pairings here.  27&28 29&30 25&36

Bahnke:  Peter what are the current pairings?  Currently 30 & 25  

Borromeo:  Quite telling that AFFR and AFFER agree.  I'm comfortable with it.

Bahnke:  I am too.  

25&30   all agree 37 and 28 and by default 29&36

Muldoon 23 and 18      21 with 20  13 and     12 and 11    17&19  ER -22&24

Borromeo - consistently heard that ER should be together and that Muldoon not be paired with Hillside.  Mt View and U-Med.  Base comes down to downtown and Govt Hill.  

Banke - 12 & 13 share school district.  People from Turnagain       20&21 Base people shop downtown

Simpson:  9&16  10&11   12&13 14&17  18&23  20&21  22&24  

Binkley:  Further questions for Nicole or Melanie   Other pairings?  

Marcum:  Most important premise we ignored the natural physical and SEI between JBER and ER.  Repeatedly throughout the process.  ER is bedroom community for many people on JBER.  I made the natural connection to allow the physical neighbors.  That's the one thing that is common.  21&22.  

Borromeo:  What about the connection between ER and Eagle River?

Marcum:  Two separate house districts.  Gives ER change to have two Senate Districts.  ER has most direct ties with military base.  

Historic parts of Anchorage - Downtown, parts of area have different lifestyles and housing 

[No one has given us actual data.]  Pairs downtown with Mt View - historic areas.  Two ways downtown could go.  Mt. View or Spenard.  

Bahnke:  Every one of your maps splits ER?  

Borromeo:  Help me understand splitting ER.  ER has more tie with base than other parts of ER?   We disagree strongly.  I don't think ER has a special claim to the base.  Including Fairview where I spent time.  Troubled by the premise that ER has superior claim to the base.  

Marcum:  I've lived in ER, on Base and East Anchorage.  This is a way.  Something I feel very strongly about.  

Bud:  Possibility of Anchorage downtown district.  20&19 MtView  20&13 Spenard

Marcum:  Sandlake divided so important thing we can do is pair 11 and 12 - I think the case on all four versions.    

Bahnke  ?? what pairings 21&22, 20&13, (ok with 20&19),  if we go with 20&13, then 14&10.  very few with N/S orientation.  Glenn Highway boundaries almost perfectly between 10 and 14.  

Another commonality of all my maps - restore that part of 15 to Hillside.  What's left 3 contiguous to 24,  16, 18, 23.  

Bahnke - any concern about combining one of the most diverse parts of Anchorage 23 with ER.  I think strong ties with ER.  I don't see people by race, but as people closely tied.  ER people come to town go through Muldoon.  

[I'm sorry, this argument is all a cover to politically benefit GOP candidates by splitting up Muldoon  and matching them with more affluent and much more Republican and much whiter ER.  This form of gerrymandering is called cracking if I'm remember right.  You take lower income diverse neighborhood that tends to vote more Democratically with wealthier White neighborhoods that are more Republican and tend to have a higher percent of people voting.  This is also the tactic they used last time to get rid of the only black state Senator Bettye Davis.  

Much of this is based on her opinion and personal patterns.  She doesn't see race.  does she recognize that Bahnke and Borromeo are Alaska Natives or does she just see them as two more white folks?  If that's the case, she dismisses their cultural heritage.]

Binkley:  All justifiable in my opinion.  

Borromeo:  The word reasonable.  Hard time with 'reasonableness'.  One comment Bethany said was ???   ER has potentially two Senate seats.  Asked to share house seats in ER with ER.  This is not any lack of ignoring data analysis of ER.  We've heard loud and clear from ER and east Anchorage that they didn't want to be mixed.  And we gave them separate House districts.  Highly populated part of diverse Anchorage in East Anchorage.  They are on top of each other.  Majority of Muldoon together.  95% of public testimony supported this.  Open to entertain other things around Anchorage.  Very opposed to splitting ER and Muldoon.  

Marcum:  Idea that ER is so different from North East Anchorage.  In fact they have a long relationship.  Question of whether ER is part of Anchorage  resolved 40 years ago.  

Skipping back to Fairbanks.  

Binkley:  I think we have a majority for Bethany's map.  We don't have all five members, I have heard from three members agree with Bethany's map. 

Borromeo:  I'd like to hear legal advice.  We can get advice on both maps.  

Simpson:  We went over this - hard for me to hear.  

Five minute Break  4:24,  back at 4:30.

Part 4   4:49pm

Back too Fairbanks.

Binkley:  five FB seats plus one connected with .  Testimony people from Ft Greely and Gulkana talked about military bases that pair 31 and 36 for military connection.  However, equally compelling reasons to combine 32 with 36.  Left side of FB together near the University.  Difficult for people of Goldstream not being in same house district.  But puts them in the same Senate district.  I propose 33&34 downtown   32&36  and 31&25  would keep NP integrated with Eilson AFB.  

Borromeo:  very happy to support your recommendations. Goldtream people very unhappy and while they got put in a separate house district from University, they can no be reunited in a Senate district .  [But doesn't address the majority of people in the very large district 36 district.)  

Part 4:  7:28 pm

So basically they agreed to all the pairings except Anchorage.  Marcum was making a specious argument about the SEI of having military from ER,JBER, and East Anchorage kept together in a Senate seat.  But the obvious underlying objective was to go for two ER Senate seats and get rid of an East Anchorage senate seat.  

I got home and onto Zoom but they were still in Executive Session.  And when I looked again, it had shut down.  

Just read an email from the Board:

Hello Subscribers,

 

The Alaska Redistricting Board has recessed for the night and will come back in to Executive Session tomorrow am at 9am.

 

Public session will begin at 10:30am to continue the discussion of agenda item #6: Assignment of House District Senate Pairs.

 

The public is welcome to attend in person at our office (3901 Old Seward Highway Ste. 141) or via zoom: 
Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/9074062894?pwd=VWxjem42YUloTnBFcTlpVWZVS0wwZz09
Meeting ID: 907 406 2894/Passcode: MoreMaps

One tap mobile: +16699006833,,9074062894#,,,,*56615375# US (San Jose); +12532158782,,9074062894#,,,,*56615375# US (Tacoma)

The rest of the agenda:

6. Assignment of House District Senate Pairs
7. Recess - Pending Dept. of Labor production of Senate Constituency Crosstabs 
8. Adoption of Senate Truncation Cutoff
9. Adoption Senate Election Cycle Table
10. Recess – Pending Final Proclamation Drafting, Proofing & Metes and Bounds Error Checking
11. Adopt Final Proclamation of Redistricting
12. Signing of Final Proclamation 
13. Adjournment

Redistricting Board - Public Testimony on Senate Pairings

Basically, the Board heard from people around the state with their preferences for how the house districts should be paired into Senate seats.  I'd note that Randy Ruedrich pushed hard on a talking point that came up Friday for the first time I remember, that JBER, Eagle River, and NE Anchorage should be paired because of the socio-economic integration of all the military and retired military in those areas.  Right now the Board is in Executive Session with their attorney and the Voting Rights Act  consultant.  It appeared Friday that the VRA consultants might have suggested that house districts that combined ER and Muldoon and Muldoon and Hillside might run into VRA problems because of the diverse population in the Muldoon area.  Why do I guess that?  Because after that Bethany Marcum redrew her v3 map to separate Muldoon from those areas.  This raises an issue I've been watching - coming up with rationales that are really excuses that cover attempts to gerrymander.  I'm guessing again that the Board is asking theVRA consultants if there would be a problem in pairing ER with Muldoon in Senate seats.  Remember the last Board did that and successfully ended the Senate career of Alaska's then only African American state senator.  

Here are my notes.  I'm headed out to the Board meeting soon.  They get back at 1pm.  There were lots of people on the zoom call today - in the 80s I think.  

 9:48am

I just got online.  I had an unexpected electrician visit so was late.  

When I got on, David Dunsmore of AFFR was finishing.  Not sure what he talked about.

The Yarrow Silver was on and asked that the two Muldoon districts be paired. 

Then someone from Chugiak wanted the two Eagle River districts paired.

Former Rep. David Guttenberg called in, but I'm not sure what he requested - I got distracted.

Now Randy Ruedrich of AFFER is giving a list of districts to pair.  I haven't kept track.

There was a break where John Binkley, chair, asked that people not tell Board members about incumbents and that testimony with incumbent info should be redacted.  Member Bahnke also made a similar request.  I have mixed feelings about this attempt to have Board ignorance of the political consequences of the maps.  

• If they learned that the maps had paired all the Republican incumbents or all the Democratic incumbents, wouldn't they want to know that?
• How do we know that Board members haven't learned about the impacts from other people?  
• If the Board is going to plea ignorance of impact on incumbents, then all the Board members should testify that they have not seen the pairings or been told about the pairings to be sure that ALL the Board members are equally ignorant.

9:57  Ruedrich has been going through the state and suggesting pairings.  

Back to online testimony while getting map to understand Ruedrich testimony

Tanny??  Turnagain area - Thanks for compact fair looking map.  Went to school here and when came back from college, did coaching in all the schools around Anchorage, so I have a good sense of the neighborhoods.  All distinct.  So go through districts to pair.

ER - o 22 and 24 - should have own Senate seat

East Anchorage 18 & 23  17&19

Downtown - JBER - 20 and 21

Turnagain and Spenard  12 and 13 together

Midtown 14 & 16 

South Anchorage ???

10 & 11

John Davis - FB - worked at University.  Was in legislature.  I live in your D32  most logical would be 36 because of Goldstream.  Main concern.  33 and 34 makes sense.  Then 31 and 35.  Having lived here a long time.  

10:05 Back to Ruedrich  D5 and D8   Then 6 and 7.  

Borromeo - testified about Kenai more oil and gas, why put them together

Ruedrich - You switched Seward.  At Testimony people wouldn't have expected.

Borromeo - Seward, Kodiak folks testified they liked that.  Least opposed to Soldotna borough

Ruedrich - Matsu - 26&29   27&28 restores Palmer area,  

Western Houston, Big Lake 25 & 30

9 and 15 - 15 looks like severed from 9.

Sand Lake almost as many people out of SandLake as in.  They are in 12  

SandLake, Campbell Lake and Airport - 11 &12

Downtown with Mt View or with University  - 13 & 20

16& 18   

ER dependent on military - 21 & 22  23&24  South ER is Muldoon. 18&23/24

[The Republican testimony last week suddenly brought up the 'very important military links between ER, JBER, East Anchorage.  This seems to me to be a ploy to take Democratic districts in East Anchorage paired up with Rep ER districts, rather than with each other that are right next to each other. ]

Brian Kendall??? - Palmer - problem with districts in valley need to be paired up with outlying districts 25&26  missed the other two pairings 

Kenai - Tim Navarre - Not in office, can't look at maps.  Keeping Kenai-Soldotna the same Homer-Seward-Kodiak 

Borromeo 5&6   and 7&8?  Yes

Back to Anchorage  Mark Kreidenberg -Executor of  estate of Ralph Lohman, once 

talking about history.  Hasn't been occupied since 1924 - Soviet ship kidnapped people in 1924??  May 17, 1884 added six islands to Alaska based on recommendation of Sen???  Harrison wanted law enforcement of Natives - I recommend that we get people out there.  Islands farther west.  Forrester Island dispute between US and Russian in 1886.  Pres. Harrison. My concern island farther west but not reflected.  

Binkley - We have to take the census data.  Don't have discretion to add other areas. 

Kendall - island in Hawaii in 4500 south of Honolulu and it's in Census district. 

Charles  - Keep Homer,Seward, and Kodiak together - 5&6  Kenai and Soldotna = oil and Gas

James Squyres from Gulkana.  Want to counter organized Goldstream testimony.  Natural to combine31 and 36.    The abominable.  Convey incidents this weekend Railroad proposals.  

Rachel Lord??  Homer Alaska.  Support current pairing Homer paired with Kodiak.

Donna Mears Anchorage - East Anchorage.  CC met over the weekend.  Speaking for self but informed by NE CC.  Currently represented by 4 districts.  Single senator 23&18. Best pairing.  

Fairbanks - 36&32 logical

Bahnke:  On behalf of Board or self- coalition

Steve??   - Wasilla -  25-40   25-27   26 28  as fix for overpopulation.  What is the cumulative over/under population.  FB very clear in testimony.  Everyone of this has been disregarded.  I've been consuming with the B on this.  Strange way maps drawn interesting and somewhat problematic - over population by 2500 people in fastest growing area of the state.  Also Kenai overpopulated by 1000.  At least do the Senate pairings.

Binkley - I appreciate that.  On Senate pairings - have B talked to you? 

Steve - No my personal testimony.  Everyone of these districts is over 2% over populated

Anchorage Chris Constant - testifying as self, not Assembly member.  Senate pairings - Thank you for a hard effort solving a lot of issues.  Anchorage has come out good 20&21, previous respected speaker.  Suggested long connected history between JBER and Govt Hill and East Anchorage neighborhoods.  There are 4 gates - Govt Hill - 20;  Boniface to D23;  Tikatnu -       Other one 3 miles from Muldoon .  Col spoke before the Board.  Felisa Wilson.  Draw the boundaries based on where i kids good to school  and contact to neighborhoods.  20&21.  Thank you. 

Felisa Wilson is here:  Pairing 20 and 21.  When I lived in ER.  For me pairing ER districts together makes perfect sense.  

Kelly Cooper - Homer, KPBAssembly - support our existing pairings Fishermen should have strong voice  Kenai freshwater/oil

Mayor of Kodiak Branson - speaking on behalf of myself.  Repeat what Kelly just said, keep Kodiak&Homer

David ???man  -Seward.  Representing myself.  House districts splits Seward in half.  Main part of Seward similarities with Homer and Kodiak and little with Nikiski  I think 5&6.  

Dawn Fraser - Fort Greely  31 & 36

??? Hope Alaska - happy with current pairings now 

Binkley - that's all we have online and in person, so close and move on with agenda.  We have VRA consultant and going into Exec Session - 

Borromeo - ES for legal counsel.  

11:00am Binkley - About an hour and roll into lunch come back at 1pm.  No decisions made.  

Tracks

 A little palate cleanser after all the redistricting posts.  From a Sunday morning walk.

And untracked.

Board Selects A Map After Some Drama And Leaving Goldstream Residents Out Of Fairbanks [Updated with link to new map]

[UPDATE Nov 5, 2021 11:30 pm - the new interactive state map is here.] [Update: James Brooks has put all the current legislators onto the map so you can see how many districts have one incumbent, two incumbents, or no incumbents.]

Quick synopsis of the afternoon session:

• The Board voted 4 to 1 to approve the state wide map after approving each region separately
• Despite LOTS of Goldstream residents calling in to say they are closely aligned with the University and downtown Fairbanks, they are left in the huge district that wraps around Fairbanks and includes Tok
• Anchorage v4new map - the one worked on by Nicole Borromeo - was approved 3-2, with Bethany Marcum and John Binkley voting no.  Budd Simpson's yes vote was something of a surprise.
• There was an emotional interaction over the Anchorage maps when Nicole Borromeo asked Bethany Marcum to point out problems she (Marcum) had with the v4 map that Borromeo had created.  This was an interesting exchange that revealed some personal value differences between the two and Marcum said she didn't feel it was right to criticize a fellow Board member in public and Borromeo said she wasn't asking for personal criticism, just criticism of the map.  
• There was some trading of communities between - I think - Districts 37 and 38 - to get some Calista communities in with other Calista communities.  
• Apparently in the Executive Session to talk about VRA implications of the Anchorage maps, pairing East Anchorage with Eagle River and with the hillside, the Board must have been told that the diversity of East Anchorage could raise VRA problems if they were split, because the last v3 maps did not have them paired any more.  

Upcoming:

• Chair Binkley asked the staff to have an interactive map up on the website by noon tomorrow (Saturday)
• Monday morning the Board meeting will meet in Board headquarters and begin at 9am with testimony about Senate pairings.  Binkley specifically said they don't want to hear about people's opinions about the map, just Senate pairings.  The numbers on the House districts are NOT necessarily final numbers, just so it's easier to identify them
• Senate pairings districts have to be contiguous, but the numbers don't have to be.
• You can watch via Zoom, but need to call in to testify.
• They will start with testimony.  They don't want to make people wait they way the did today.
• After pairing, the board has to truncate Senate districts that have too high a percentage of voters who are in new districts.  The guidance is 'substantial' but Board has to determine what that means.  Substantially new districts will be up for election in 2022.  
• Then the Board has to assign Senate districts to one of two voting cycles.  The Senate seats are staggered so only ten seats are up for election each year.

I'd note that ten seats will be up in 2022 in any case.  Last time I think it was all but one or two Senate districts were up for election at the next election either due to truncation or their terms were up anyway.  

Below are my very rough notes.  Not verbatim, not complete, and sometimes could be inaccurate, so just take them as a rough guide to what was discussed.  I'm just too tired to go through them right now.  

ARB Nov 5,  Afternoon Session Notes

3:48pm

Binkley:  Metes and Bounds over weekend.

9am public testimony for Senate pairings 

Binkley - numbers 1-40 important so people can say #9 and #12 should be renumbered so they can be paired.  Let people know that numbers assigned are for reference, but not final.

Marcum:  They have to be contiguous, but do they have to be numerically paired.  

Matt Singer:  I don’t think constitutionally, but traditionally 

Bahnke:  Explantion for earlier actions.  Process wise would like benefit of legal counsel in executive session before final map.  Today we looked at Anchorage and we should obtain legal advice on Anchorage.  Pursue a compromise map, concern about v4 only about deviations that could be improved.  Borromeo said it would be a compromise on compactness if change deviations.  Should only look at new maps to improve what we have.

Part 3.  Other than deviations that could be improved in v4.  

Marcum:  Absolutely, I took the criticism from testimony to change maps.  A lot as you know that Anchorage as a whole is SEI, so deviation is next.  We should take deviations from the public and make adjustments.

Bahnke:  Not inviting criticism of v4, but just asking is you have any concerns about v.4

Marcum: I hesitate to offer criticisms of other Board member’s maps.  

Borromeo:  It’s constructive to me because I raised issues of Bethany’s maps.  I’d like to know if you have concerns about my map.  It would be helpful.  Don’t take as personal criticism.

Marcum:  Ok, I do think the military bases are connected to areas outside gates.  Not taken into account In your version.  As I did that I didn’t think downtown was important as I saw.  Not a helpful exercise for me.  Not my place to criticize other Board members’ maps.  Not purpose of our discussion.  

Borromeo - I took bases into consideration.  I constantly go through Govt. Hill base.  When I go to commissary and there’s a healthy population of veterans back to Korean War vets.  I actually took the naive population.  

Marcum:  I criticized your map and you got defensive.  I don’t think publicly going on record to criticize a fellow Board member.  

Borromeo:  this has no bearing on what we’re doing.

Binkely:  I don’t think this is helpful. 

Bahnke:  It wasn’t a personal criticism of you, but questions about the map to help me understand the the constitutional issue?

Binkley:  What’s the point.  What are you trying to constitution?

Bahnke:  To hear if there are any issues that raise constitutional issues.

I won’t push the issue anymore I’ll take the concerns about deviations, 

Marcum:  I don’t feel it’s right to publicly criticize other Board members.  That’s what I believe.  

Binkley:  We probably could go to executive session.

Break for ES - forgot to put down time

4:56 people coming back into the room

5:01  - working more on Matsu maps.  Oh dear, this is going to be tedious.  We could be here to midnight.  

Peter:  Both maps the same in that they respect city and Borough boundaires.  Still pick up most population from southern portion.  

Marcum:  Denali Borough has carve out to get Cantwell to make them part of Ahtna.  Not totally comfortable but for SEI reasons.  Ranges from 344 deviation to ?52.

Peter:  

Bahnke: For Cantwell into district for SEI reasons

Binkley - I think pipeline on both sides of the Richardson Highway

Borromeo:  When move boundaries a bit to the left gets both sides of the road.  I had a lot of trouble

Borromeo consulting with Bahnke

around that lake too.  

Binkley:  Consensus around Matsu.

Borromeo:  When I went back it was a two day exercise, census blocks really hard to smooth out.  

Binkley:  Consensus in 38,39, couple villages from 38 to 37.  Can you look at that?  

Bahnke:  Co chair of AFN CEO of Bethel? Native Corporation offered written testimony. Doesn’t weigh in on moving Ahtna communities.  Board v4, (reading) with integrity and transparency addressed Constitutional criteria.  SEI connections this summer.  Groups unable to harvest salmon - member communities helped out.  Music, songs, and dances similar.  

But in Bethel, it wouldn’t be a backward move to move Platinum and Goodness Bay back, though they're up in Dillingham.  

Binkley:  They were talking about Chevak - about 900 - 

[NOTE:  I could hear the Board members better when I was listening online than here live.]

Marcum

Borromeo:  Have to be careful.  It is a VRA district and has a high deviation.  But if we pull them apart there will be a ripple effect in surrounding villages.  When I tried to do this, it made the deviation indefensible.  I did this for hours.  

Binkley:  Andrew Guy from Calista.  

Marcum:  Not issue about moving Scammon Bay etc. ???

Binkley:  Not sure I heard it that way.

Borromeo:  Platinum would be easier because it’s smaller.  

[Discussion about moving villages and impact on deviations of the districts.]

Bahnke:  Start with Goodnews Bay and Platinum because of the SEI. 

Binkley

Binkley:  From 38 to 35.  

Bahnke:  Populations 65 and 2??.  Makes 37 less than 1% deviation.  How much is 38 underpopulated?

1000

Chevak is ???  Scammon Bay is 600

Binkley:  I didn’t realize Russian Mission was in D38. 

Russian Mission is now in D39.  

Bahnke:  Can we compare deviations before we make deviations?  

We’re done on 36.

Binkley: Let’s go to SE.   

TJ Presley: The map we’re working on is ???

Simpson:  (Having trouble hearing)  pointing specific changes made in the maps.  Pointed out a representative was caught in an appendage.  Moved miles away.  Gustavus - pick up pop and recognizing SEI Gustavus is gateway to Glacier Bay Natl Park and not Native.  

Sealaska represents 22,000.

Bahnke:  I thought we had consensus on this.  

Binkley:  walk us through.

Presley: We’re at Kodiak now , Seldovia??  

Borromeo:  If Board has no objection I move we approve 5.

Move to six - S Kachemak Bay 

People standing up and stretching.  Some phallic zoom bombing 

Simpson:  Moving up to Kasilof.  Lots of testimony from Kachemak Bay should stay together, especially Fritz Creek.  We worked that extensively to figure out way to do this because had impacts on other areas.  

Binkley:  OK, move on to seven.

Peter:  City of Kenai and City of Soldotna. There was an alignment straight thru a house. Fixed that.  

5:52  Stretch break - problem with zoom screen sharing

5:57  Binkley - on to Fairbanks.  

Peter:  Matsu we just adopted doesn’t have Tanana.  

Binkley:  Walk us through

Peter:  33 is city of FB.  City proper doesn’t have enough plus a bit more.  

Binkley:  Military on east, City proper on west.  Court required Board to get two seats out of FB

Singer:  Court said Board should look at.  

Bahnke:  Most intimately connected, since you lived there, do you think we can improve this SEI and meet our Constitutional requirements.

Binkley:  Counsel has counseled is that the Borough is SEI.  Problem, reflects all people in the Borough.  Will require 4000 people moved out of B into another area.  Hard to find 4000 in one part and move them out.  Looked at North along census block line - I think the railroad.  Stays inside the road.

Bahnke:  Testimony of possibility of Eilson moved to 36.  Would that accomplish one person one vote?  And comments from Goldstream. 

Binkley:  I think you need to take more than Eilson because need 4000.  Shapewise, if you zoom out,  I know people in Goldstream feel closely aligned to University.  Unfortunate to have to move 4000 to another district.  My hope was to keep Borough whole even though over populated.  Just not the will of the people in that area.  It’s possible a representative from Goldstream is elected.  36 is diverse as well.  Glen Allen and the many villages.  Difficult to say SEI that 36 is homogenized.  Wanted Assembly to give guidance.  They know their people the best.  Tough for them to make that decision and pass it on to us to make that decision.  Tried to give some guidance in some of the whereas-es.  

You can see the Fairbanks maps here.

We kept NP together - all of the city of NP and surrounding area.  And changed 32 - wrapped around North Pole and people concerned couldn’t drive from one part of 32 to the other side without driving through the city.  Pull 32 back around to the west.  University and areas to the west.  

[Basically, Binkley is saying he doesn’t know how to deal with the Goldsream complaints other than take Eilson and Salcha. 

Borromeo:  Uncertain, reading testimony.  Eilson is closed community, own schools and power plant and a lot less integration than with Goldstream.  

Binkley:  True, very strict regulation of getting onto the base.  People in Eilson pride themselves of integrating military into the community.  Liaisons between military and FB.  Very involved.  Don’t feel like it’s an isolated island.  Military itself is hesitant.  They wouldn’t testify.  Tough.

Singer:  As a matter of law, everyone in the B is SEI.  Everyone is.  I would encourage the Board to consider following other requirements - compactness, etc.  Can’t make determination that one neighbor over another.  

Borromeo:  You have offered rational for why doing this.  I’d like to move that the NSFB approved.  

Bahnke:  I’m ok with that.  We took Valdez out of 36.  

Marcum:  We have said Cantwell is SEI but it’s clearly not compact.  

Matt Singer:  I agree that putting Cantwell, makes sense, but challenging constitutional concerns about Regional Corporation desire to include Cantwell.

Bahnke:  I heard you say relative compact compared to other maps.  Other 36 is so large so the % of what we’re adding, it’s not a significant difference in terms of compactness.

Borromeo:  He wasn’t on FB Assembly - apologize for misstating that.  

Binkley:  OK we can move on to Anchorage [I guess that FB is done]

6:43 Back from break.  

This is the Final Anchorage map, click to enlarge

Binkley:  two Anchorage maps up.  

Bahnke:  In terms of SEI, compactness, VRA analysis (in Exec Sessions) I believe v4 is the best so I move we accept vr best.  

Binkley:  Is there a second?  And seconded.  Discussion.

Simpson:  Lot of testimony about Anchorage district, some more hopeful than others.  People have said portions of unconstitutional if that turns out to be the case, could be used particularly if they were independent of each other.  Found myself thinking strongly that the deviations smaller on ?? And that is ????? Also looked at compactness which I find also important just eyeball I think that ??? Is more compact.  More square and fewer .  Only stated in context that I think both are ok.  I think probably had more time based on when Census data came in and all we had to do, another month, we could probably.  No singular version more pleasing to all of us.  So, I think for me is lot of testimony, heard both sides, I need to go with one I think is most legally sustainable I come to view v4 because overall its combination of good deviation and cleaner lines and compactness.  That’s where I am.  [A vote for v4]

Binkley:  For me the same tests - look at compactness and so I weigh them equally and then deviation.  All things considered I go to v3.  Any others?

Marcum:  I believe the map I put together considering the legal info provided, but we got it late, I believe the best balance between compactness and deviation?  Don’t know what she picked I assume 3.

Borromeo called the question.  Go f

Yes, Yes, No Yes No.  Three-Two the motion passes.  That was Bahnke, Borromeo, Simpson Yes and 

Binkley and Marcum NO

6:53pm Simpson:  Ask staff to carefully review and advise us if they find any problems.  We have to come back Monday.

Binkley:  More a technical - enough to forward it for metes and bounds for the whole state.

Motion?

Marcum:  48 hours is minimum.  Metes and Bounds may not be done.  Proclamation has to be Wednesday.

Simpson:  Good point.  We don’t need that for Senate pairings.  

I move we adopt this map and we should name it v7.

Binkley:  It should be called final map eventually.  It will become vFinal.   

Simpson:  staff do metes and bounds and staff recommend minor changes to Board for review before final proclamation.  

Any objection :

Marcum I’m going to vote yes????

Roll call vote:

Marcum no

Simpson yes

Binkley yes

Borromeo yes

Bahnke yes

6:58

Binkley - staff will work on details and metes and bounds.  This evening it will be online by what time?  

Peter Torkelson:  I really want to get it right.  We can make some screenshots.  Be sure to refresh the homepage.  We’ll call it final.  So far I’ve only little tiny errors.  

Binkley:  By noon tomorrow people should be able to see maps - we’re shooting for.  Monday at 9am we’ll meet again.  We’ll do public testimony Monday - purpose is to talk about Senate pairings.  Apologize for people having to wait so long today.  After we take public testimony on Senate Pairings.  Not comments on whether you like the plan.  Just pairings.  Each district will have a number 1-40, but not the final numbers.  We may change those numbers.  Use the numbers on the map to explain your recommendations.  Districts have to be contiguous, but numbers don’t have to be in order.  

Once we have pairings, the next step is for staff to determine how the districts have changed - Peter?

Peter:  Alaska law requires we truncate.  So we will calculate how many people in new Senate seat were able to vote for the existing Senator.  Depending on the percentage.

Binkley:  Then we have to decide the cycles for the Senate district.  Which are on 2022 or 2024 cycle.  When that is determined we make the final proclamation.

That starts 30 window when public has the chance to challenge the proclamation.  

Peter Torkelson:  Then division of elections has to redraw all the precincts and send people new voting cards.

Binkley:  Keep track of the website to see the new maps.

Torkelson:  Sign up to be notified on the website then you don’t have to keep checking - you’ll get an email when things are ready.  

Simpson:  Can we identify the number we consider substantial for truncation of Senate districts?

Binkley:  Should we adopt a number?  Have they looked at it and come up with a number?  Or did they have a number.

Motion to adjourn?  

7:10 pm adjourned.  

Note: Monday they will meet at the Board's office again.

AK Redistricting Board - New Maps, Debates, Exec Session, Public Testimony

 [I started this around 9:15 am.  It’s really rough and I’m a bit tired.  So consider this only a glimpse of what happened with some omissions and typos and some inaccuracies.  But it will have to do until the official transcript and the video are up.  And it can help guide you to what you want to see when the video is up.]

Public testimony was pretty much:

1.  Anchorage folks wanted v4, though some military veterans including Assembly Member Jamie Allard argued that JBER, NE Anchorage, and Eagle River were the community that military and retired military lived in.  They supported V3, or Marcum's new v3.  

2.  Fairbanks people called to say Goldstream was integral to Fairbanks and shouldn't be put into the huge rural district that goes to Tok.

3.  North Pole should be a separate district from Fairbanks

4.  Fairbanks folks were also upset for having been waiting on the phone for five hours before they could testify.  

5.  Some discussion of Calista and Doyon villages being properly represented.  

You can see the Anchorage maps v3 revised overnight and v4 here  Although they said the Fairbanks maps were up, I can't find them. 

I'm going down to the Board Meeting to see the rest in person.  

Bethany Marcum:  New map.  Valdez testified did not want to be with Matsu and Matsu didn’t want them.  So looking at putting Valdez with Anchorage.  Just learned from legal counsel that problems putting Valdez with Anchorage.  

Nicole Borromeo:  Making her own map.  More compact.

Marcum:  Did review all the Anchorage maps and compact as they are and also looking at deviation.

Borromeo:  How is your D21 compact?  It snakes down in shape I don’t understand.  Your D16 Goes from south Addition to ??   How more compact?

Marcum:  I didn’t say more compact.  Balance of Compact and Deviation.

Borromeo:  My concern is about VRA, was that no matter where, these are highly dense diverse populations. 

Marcum:  I heard your comments about different housing, life style.

Binkley:  Looking at 16 I had same concerns, but in previous version it was a straight line.  

Borromeo/Marcum discussing deviation. Urban deviation vs. Statewide deviation.

Binkley offers Marcum more time to make adjustments.

Borromeo:  She’s been mapping all night and it’s now 11am and we have a deadline and soon I’m going to call the question.

Bahnke:  I appreciate your efforts and time.

Borromeo:  I think the board wants to give you time to make more compact.

Simpson:  says the same.  If you can do that in a half hour, that would be worth it.  

Borromeo:  Problems with 15 and 16.  

Binkley:  Board is saying can you take 30 minutes and see what you can do with that.

[Is there another Anchorage map in case Marcum’s is not acceptable?]

11:57am - Bethany Marcum completed her new maps.  Nicole Borromeo said v4 is better than this new map.  Now they are going to take testimony.  They are worried about time for testimony so they can get to their final vote. 

Borromeo:  we need to have a time limit.  Also we need to put the map up on the site.  I have posted v4 so people can see them.

Peter:  We have put the map up - 

Nicole:  Maps are under Meetings because they are not official maps.  

12:29

Yarrow Silver:Speaking for community council  Scenic Hills?  CC.  Not set off sei neighborhoods of East Anchorage. Including around Muldoon curve.  18-0.  Saw maps as of yesterday.  Spoke in favor of v4 map.

Now speaking for self. For Nicole Borromeo’s map.  More compact and reflects racially diverse community.  Map yesterday still here today and then quickly being changed.  Shouldn’t still be here.  V4 meets all needs.  Marcum’s just gerrymanders East Anchorage and other places.  This is supposed to be a non-partisan process.  Lots of talk about one person one vote, this sounds false because it dilutes the voices of diverse populations.  Nicole Borromeo’s map better.  

Binkley:  please don’t ascribe maps to people’s names - use map numbers v3b and v4

Joel Hall:  AFFR live in Peters Creek.  Thanks for changing break between ER and Muldoon.  Glad it happened today.  Not right to blend those two communities.  Also in favor v4 - compact is first order and one is clearly more compact.  There’s no real question about which is more compact.  We’ll have further comments after we process this.  AFFR will be back in ten years.  See ourselves as perpetual partner of Board.  We need to create a record of what we feel is wrong for future Board members.

Binkley:  Thanks for testimony and AFFR work on Alaska tour.  

Felisa Wilson:  Good afternoon.  Thank the board.  A little alarmed that maps changed at last minute.  Feels like it literally changed in the last hour.  After looking at newest map.  I think integrity of JBER and integrity of diverse communities best reflected in V4? map.

Connie Seprecio??  - spenard community council resolution:  Whereas boundary 3 house districts and 3 Sense districts.  Recommend new plan into alignment with local boundaries including Spenard CC.  Unanimously approved.

Personally - 23 Anchorage resident, 17 years in Spenard.  Frustrated by this morning.  All the changes - felt like now taking power from public most impacted.  V3 of all three maps no good. Urge you follow v4.  Straight lines, respects idea of compact.  New map looks like gerrymandering.  The fact that she only decided last night not to include Valdez.  V3 Not in spirit of he law.  Times up.  Fair and equal representation.  Let people’s vote speak, not because it makes sense for one party or another. 

Binkley - hard - Constitution requires public testimony.  At some point we have to decide.

Mary  Akpirg Director - Note that in General, having ES before comments makes it hard for public to give input.  People weren’t able to testify.  Because have other commitments.  You’ve done a good job generally of public testimony.  Marginalized communities generally have less time to participate.  AFFR as Joelle has put it, we support v4 as well.  Maps are very complicated and impossible to fix at last minute.

Mary:  I live in south Edition - map better reflects my neighborhood.  

  Donna Mears - North East CC in Anchorage Oct. meeting.  Understand CC boundaries not really necessary, we think they should be.  Small number of people in area never show up.  Our work is done at CC meetings. Community boundaries more important than slightly lower deviation.  It’s how we get together.  Met Oct 31, so don’t have statement on maps today.  I think she supported v4.

Binkley - any more in Anchorage?

Robin O’Donoghue - thank you.  I’ve spoken before mostly on behalf of AFFR.  Today on behalf of myself.  Thanks for one person one vote in Fairbanks.  Goldstream valley is a suburb of FB and closely connected to UAF.  I grew up there.  UAF and Fairbanks.  While Board recognized some things.  Putting Goldstream into greater rural airport does not reflect view of Assembly.  

Lastly suggest AFFR forFB is more logical and SEI also could plug in AFFR FB map into your overall map.  Thank you.

David Dunsmore:  Good afternoon.  AFFR.  Want to experiment more why we believe given Board’s choices now, it’s clear best in line with constitutional mandate and AFFR process in Anchorage trying to get communities.  One thing we appreciate - every public hearing on the road show introduced the public hearing process by explaining Board’s goal to get people who live work and play together should vote together. 

Detail for how true.  In East Anchorage. v3B  has odd ways concerning neighborhoods.  Nunaka Valley mostly with Mt. View.  While more in common with D20 or 21 on the map.  Tudor curve put in with Huffman neighborhood.  Large portion of land with no population - probably unconstitutional.  No connection physically between Chugach Foothills and Upper O’Malley.  That is some of lowest income in S Muldoon.  Putting them in with Upper Hillside large lots and limited road service and private wells, etc.  Chugach Foothills have no common legislative needs. 

Souht Anchorage - v 4 best logical S Anchorage districts sep from East Anchorage 16 logical abbott loop district etc.

V3 D11 splits Abbot loop between 11 and 14.  Better integration to keep those neighborhoods in their districts.  West Anch better rep under v4.  Ve problem in West Anchorage makes 3 distinct districts into different districts. Version 4 does better.  

Marcum:  You have different idea of SEI within Anchorage - explain

Dunsmore:  Well, compactness is still an issue here.

Bahnke:  thoughts on v3 on 21-26?  

Chris Nelson - North Muldoon.  Respectfully disagree about integrity of JBER and the bases.  I worked after retired on JBER.  Member of ER VFW post.  Speaking for myself.  Live in current home four years.  Military families live off post adjacent to JBER.  I think version today - appreciate give and take of Board.  New map best serves retired military.  The latest version best represents people like me.  But want to thank everyone of you for serving and your patience.  

Binkley:  thanks for your service to military and this process.

Borromeo:  Which one?

Chris:  V3alt

Binkley:  Going on line

Savanah Fletcher in FB.  On the line?  

Casey Casort - in FB.  

Binkley - 2 minute brief at ease to make sure we’re connected.

OK.

Casey Casort  - and Savanah

Savanah Fletcher.  FB   Parks Highway Ester and UAF.  Concern about Goldstream and that community cut off from our community.  Not fair while Salcha more fit 

Frustrating.  Had to take off work and then to wait for hours.  

Casey Casort - FB  also repeat Savanah’s frustration.  Still FB map that I know about from social media, not the Board.  Testified twice with board and frustrated that Goldstream cut away from Ester and UAF.  FB and NP separate.  Thank you.

Andrew Guy - Anchorage. Calista.  Thank you.  From ??? Corporation.  Been involved with redistricting process since 1980 to this year.  I do know factors and this is hard process to go through.  Vote for equal representation but a factor detrimental to Calista region.  I’ve given written testimony.  Oral testimony want to provide idea the factors for this process, but not the cultural Native factors.  Detrimental to Calista.  Even though we have the population to have two house seats.  Results is bad situation for my area.  COVID situation is example of that.  High cases and deaths from COVID.  Representation is money.  We have always give population to other districts that needed it.  Finally have a voice for number of people we have.  

Binkley.  Thanks, we do have written testimony before us.

Bahnke:  In terms of SEI - is it Calista with Doyon or Calista with Bering Straits. 

Guy:  Laughs.  Since 1980s.  Eskimo to Eskimo or Eskimo to ??.  We should help each other and that has happened in he past.  

Bahnke:  In terms of SEI ties?  

Guy:  Oh yes, our Yupik communities and Chupik further up.  Shared customs, 

Brian Redmeyer?  FB - reiterating what Savana and Casey said.  Goldstream vital part of community with UAF.  V3 doesn’t make sense.  

Erin Wilham??:  Anchorage.  Born and raised in East Anchorage. Urge adopt v4 map.  V3 problematically divides things.  V4 more compact and SEI.  V3 raises gerrymandering question.  

John Brown?  Member of Borough.  Speaking for self.  Goldstream shouldn’t be separated from FBNS district.  Only 3 stop lights between my house and UAF.  Clear violation of compact and contiguous. V4 real improvement.  

Nicole Eastman?  - West side of FB for 50 years, Goldstream and Ester.  Glad to see new plan doesn’t overpopulate FB, but Goldstream Valley closely connected to UAF and and FB.  Not connected to Tok and Delta.  Previous map like this was ruled unconstitutional.  Frustrated - on phone at 9am.  Very Anchorage centric time this morning - talking about Anchorage maps, heard from all the Anchorage people in the room first.  Anchorage already takes so much of the air in the State.  Since we have so little time, frustrating that you keep talking about the difficulty of he task.  

Allisa Princeton???  FB - appreciate Board’s problems but have to represent my community - Goldstream. Salcha and Eilson separate with NP.  AFFR map really better represents communities of FB and compact.  Asking communities to compete with each other.

Celest Hodge Growdon - Anchorage.  Pres of Alaska Black Caucus. Agree with so many.  Very difficult to testify.  Strong opposition to Marcum’s map.  It denies BIPOC for next decade to sacrifice communities of color for political reasons.  Ignores hours of public testimony.  African-American and Native Alaskans are a small group, but we shouldn’t be separated with other diverse communities.  Puts Muldoon Curve with Hillside.  Have to drive through 4 other districts to get to rest of district.  

Calvin Rodgers - FB - I work 9-5 been here with EarPod and only Anchorage maps are online.  We need them - the whole map.  Don’t have final version of FB. Goldstream and University should be together.  NP and FB nonsensical.  Can’t believe v3 still being discussed.  There’s support forAFFR and v4.  We should be talking about v4 and AFFR.  

Nome Mayor Luke Hopkin.  Former mayor.  Communities should be represented by boundaries , contiguous and compact districts that keep communities of interest together.  I live in Goldstream, last time district went to Gulf of Alaska and ruled unconstitutional.  Don’t be concerned about SEI of FBNS Borough.  Agree with other comments from FB area.  Eastern part of FBNS borough could more easily connected with Tok and Delta.  V4 best.  

Louise Bishop 

1:48pm Alyse Guttenberg - Thanks,  Been waiting with 9 am this morning.  Had to hear about Anchorage maps and still can’t see maps.  I live ten minutes from University.  Tok is a four hour drive.  Frustrated with time you’ve taken up debating folks.  

Bahnke:  We have about 35 more people, we take the time to hear them.

Borromeo:  Given that people have been waiting since 9am we should hear them all.

Jacqueline Debedit???   In Goldstream for over 25 years.  Agree with all the people who have spoken. My husband and I have worked at UAF all these years.  Please keep us together.  I heard fromCalista Guy.  Make that happen and keep us together.  Also NP and FB are separate. 

1:52pm Two minute break 

Peter - Goldstream/FB - lived whole life near Goldstream.  As much a part of FB as downtown.  People in Goldstream work all over FB and FB folks come to Goldstream

Bill Moser - from Juneau. Testify for v4.  Main point v3 should be gotten rid of.  Keep hearing over and over about constitutional issues with v3 and don’t know why you keep referring to it.  At this point in the game it doesn’t make sense to keep it.  Juneau, FB, Anchorage, rtsural communities.  Support v4, v3 needs to be gone.

David Guttenberg - Serve on NSB Assembly and was in the legislature.  Represented three different district in legislature. One that was ruled unconstitutional.  One that went to the Coast.  D28 in 2012.  You are repeating that map that was ruled unconstitutional.  When you repeat what was done in 2010 you force rep to represent so many different interests.  Forced inequality. thanks.  Will send copy to you.

Alex Baker - Anchorage - Fairview.  Testify for v4 best map for my community.  Only one member of Board at that time.  Author of v4.  Testimony of people in my community.  Clear that v4 evolved with public testimony.  Listening to testimony is one thing. But then you have to listen and make changes.

Rep. Zach Fields - thank board for rigorous travel schedule.  V3 different from v3 less compact from v4, similar deviations.  Rushed job and has sloppiness.  Appears to be gerrymander people out of their districts.  V3 did get rid of some of those things.  But new v3 still puts Snyder and        Even if inconvenient to elected officials - including me - but v4 is best.

John Nelson from Wasilla - 

Kelly Toch??    In Chugiak,  Did see new map updates.  New maps were Anchorage specific, hard to see how it affects our area.  Want to repeat gentleman who was military veteran.  In my area it’s interesting.  I’m actually now connected with Matsu.  Valley School board issues don’t interest me.  For these reasons v3 preferable.  Gets ER, JBER together.  

Kendra Foster - East Anchorage, multiple hats pres of Russian Jack CC, farmers market.  V4 looks like best opportunity now.  Over 100 languages spoken in E Anchorage.  Should keep us together.  Otherwise dilute our voices if mixed with ER or S Anchorage.  Hearing about FB and express my support for FB neighbors.  Board should listen to communities.  We are the experts on the areas where we live.  

[Around 2pm they said there were 35 more people!!!!! Not sure how many we’ve done.]

2:17  Tanner ??? - three points  1.  Western Alaska, question of SEI between Western Doyon-Ancsa region and Coast - Chevak, Hooper Bay and Scamon Bay.  Think it’s not worth your time, it just isn’t worth your time can’t be done constitutionally.

2.  FB  - .2 of district has to go outside Borough.  Should not come from Western part ofBorough.  Our coalition think it should come from (Doyon)

Anchorage talked to lots of people.  V4 more aligned than v3.

Bethany:  Changes for Doyon things we should be aware of.  Vast areas of state.  Border between 36  v3 and v4 are identical. Playing 3 and 4 changes for Nome districts from interior districts.  As Bahnke said, it would be unconstitutional.  

Borromeo - Doyon Villages are they captured in maps board has consensus.

Tanner:  My understanding trying to make Chevak and Scammon Bay switch, D38 D37 not a problem.  

Binkley - not sure we understand.

Tanner:  Bethel - do have problem.  Putting interior villages with Nome.  Sticking with v3 or v4 with slight moderation or our maps, but not try to do more than that.

Binkley:  Bethany will follow up with you.

Jamie Allard from ER - Appreciate all you are doing.  Public shouldn’t be attacking volunteers.  Resident of ER.  First generation veteran.  ER, JBER, E Anchorage, we are one.  Absolutely connected.  Close ties between ER and NE Anchorage.  My husband and I are both military vets because of diverse populations.  Heard mention of ER exit that this has taken 3 years to get this far.  Heard from my residents.  We are all part of the same Anchorage community.  Two areas with many military personnel - ER.  I’m for map 3.  I’m a person of color as first generation Chilean.  I don’t have others speak for me.

James Squyres from Gulkana - I’ve testified previously.  Heard all this talk about compactness for Anchorage.  Argument that district 39 can’t be put together because of SEI.  Difference of lifestyle of drainage.  About 5000 Alaskans in that area.  Denali B has ???  Don’t leave our area as a left over.  

David James - FB  Live in Goldstream for 25 years.  Object to pairing us with SE in rural area. It’s like ten years ago to pair us with Bethel.  I was in Tok when I was fifteen, I was in FB today.  Constitution clear on this.  Don’t do Senate pairing with Bethel.  

Sue  - speaking as individual now.  Like other people from FB frustrated we can’t see our map, and still kind find it on website, unlike Anchorage maps that went up quickly.  Glad you had so much public testimony and heard that we didn’t want to be overpopulated.  Assembly didn’t say wanted to do this.  They did not identify an area.   Doesn’t make any more sense for us on the east to be with Tok any more than Goldstream.  

Binkley:  Map should be in in two seconds.

Kristen ???  - Planned Parenthood - standing up for marginalized communities.  Do not separate them for partisan reasons.  Taking gold stream out of communities it’s associated with and same with putting NP into FB.  Doesn’t make sense to put them together.  Things go east-west in FB.  Seem political motivated, not community motivated.  Thanks listened to concern about being overpopulated but maps should have been up earlier we’ve been on the phone since 9am. 

Binkley - NP is no longer with FB.  Map up now.

Gary Newman - rep myself and decahedron.  5.2 seats of Fairbanks.  Board accepted that Eilson was economic center for FB more than ….  Eilson as economic engine fails on SEI.  Eilson is closed off unit.  Own schools, and hard to get in.  Didn’t vote in Anchorage, but PFD changed that.  But Goldstream excluded by FB board member. Seems political.  50 years in FB, trails are important here and people come here for trails. But Eilson folks go to south.  Board talked about Richardson Highway to connect with Valdez.  Seems logical that Eilson fits better in 36 than people closely engaged in FB.  V4.  No other testimony.  Seems a mockery of efforts residents of FB made to educate Board.  Need v4.  Commend you for all the time you put in, not an easy task.

2:45 Ann Brown Anchorage - Calling in support of final version of map 3, best for military and civilian population.  

Lacy Hemming.  Scenic ??? Not sure of number - supporting Nicole’s map, keeps community together following natural boundaries.  Do not support Bethany Marcum’s map, it ignores lots of public testimony.  Keep neighborhoods together.  Very different neighborhoods than ER.

Teresa Robel - Anchorage but raised in Goldstream.  FB and UAF vital part of Goldstream community.  Always closely associated with UAF and FB.  

John Nelson Wasilla - moved away 2 minutes in four hour call and missed my place.  Important to listen to people who live in the communities.  Understand people in ER.  Born and raised in Anchorage, then Chugiak before moving to Matsu.  Keep those communities’ representation together.  Wasilla needs to be together and not separate and divide people in city limits.  Discouraging to see Denali B into Matsu.  Partial to v3 but hard to find current version.  Let us record our messages rather than make us wait four hours.

Binkley - we do get written testimony  Another 60 this morning.

Cliff Rose - brief and thanks.  Mt View and Fairview communities. How divide on map.  They should be whole communities.  Important not just disenfranchisement.  And neighborhood context so they are understood.  Recent changes to Assembly regime.  Repped by only one Assembly member and soon it will be two.  That historical representation has impact.  Any maps that divide or don’t make those low income ….  Mt. View and Fairview shouldn’t be divided. 

Binkley - I don’t see anyone else waiting,  Oops we do have someone here in Anchorage.

Randy Ruedrich - Long wait.  Simple request on behalf of Calista.  Not Chevak, it’s about Calista villages into D37.  Calista representation diluted in Legislature. Calista can now start to build small majority in 37.  Second - want to address FB.  Commend the Board. Unfortunately people didn’t get to see map.  Impression from testimony that goes all the way over from the east side.  Half from the east and half from the west.  Timer goes off.  

Binkley:  Didn’t understand.  Take some villages and move them to 37 and then take some of Hooper Bay and that doesn’t affect 39.  Overpopulate 37 and underpopulated 39.  Online - Dawn Fraser from Delta - I live in D9 and you want D36.  For putting military units, Eilson, etc. into one group.  In school district speak Ukrainian Russian Spanish and English.  Very much and International community.

Binkley:  that concludes public testimony and take a few minutes to rearrange the room.  Take a 15 minute break.  

3:04pm  OK 30 minute break to sanitize the room and have some lunch.