County Redistricting Public Hearing Tonight

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors will hear public comments tonight on the draft redistricting maps for the county. There are two options: one that keeps the current seven districts and one that adds an eighth district in the middle of the eastern border.

Some potential changes to the Dale City area have gotten attention. The seven-district plan would add large sections of the Princedale and Ridgedale neighborhoods to the Neabsco district from the Coles district by putting the dividing line on Princedale Drive. Ridgedale resident Eric VanNortwick said that he and others in the neighborhoods are upset about the idea of splitting the neighborhoods into two separate districts with two distinct supervisors.

Supervisors tonight will hear from the public on two plans. One plan retains the seven voting districts in the county and the second plan creates a new, eighth district around the city of Manassas on the county's eastern border between the Gainesville and Coles districts. The Brenstville and Gainesville districts, which grew the most of all districts, will have to shrink. The Coles and Occoquan districts will have to grow, and the Coles District could see a dramatic shift. According to population growth numbers, the Brentsville District must shrink by almost 20,000 people and the Gainesville District must shrink by about 16,000. The rest of the districts would need to expand, with Occoquan gaining about 14,000. 

The redistricting process got off to a shaky start in Prince William County when the Electoral Board provided the Board of County Supervisors with an incorrect time line. Instead of thinking they had until May to complete the redistricting process, the Electoral Board informed supervisors on March 23 that they must finish the process by April 19. The result is county staff, supervisors and residents lose about a month in the planning and review process. 

"The Electoral Board is greatly embarrassed for putting the Board in this situation, but unfortunately the time requirements cannot be changed. There is barely enough time to complete the redistricting work and to get ballots to our soldiers in time to meet our 45 day requirement if adoption is moved up to April 19," states a letter the Electoral Board sent to county officials. "The Electoral Board regrets the situation and now has to ask you for help." 

The primary is Aug. 23 and absentee ballots for this primary must be mailed no later than July 8, which means the Justice Department will complete its 60-day review period on June 18. This gives the Electoral Board 20 days to review the plans, instead of no days under the mistake time line it sent to supervisors earlier. 

Patch will liveblog the hearing, which will take place at the Board of County Supervisors meeting tonight at 7:30.