Redistricting is Going On In the State, What Does That Mean For the Basin?

Redistricting should have happened last year, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic causing delays with the census, now the redistricting will happen this year. So how will this affect the Permian Basin?

According to NewsWest 9, redistricting is a chance to positively impact us here in the Permian Basin.

"Redistricting happens every 10 years after the census is compiled, and then depending on the growth of a community, it is then that the lines are looked at to see and to make sure that all ethnicities are balanced and have the same opportunities to vote in their districts," said Carolyn Graves, Midland County Elections Administrator.

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Unfortunately redistricting does not happen quickly.

"First of all, redistricting is a process, and Midland County has hired the law firm of Bickerstaff to do the redistricting maps for us," said Graves. "So once all of the data has been fed into that, then they will bring to the commissioner's court their idea of what the maps should look like."

With the redistricting, a lot of changes could happen at the polls.

"Once that’s done, then the maps will come to us and we will change those voters into their appropriate precinct, and as for how that affects us, everything has been pushed back," said Graves.

Graves also said that the November elections this year and next year will probably not be affected by the redistricting.

"This November election will not be affected, and next November shouldn’t be either," said Graves. "What will be affected will be the primary. If there’s a primary runoff, everything will be pushed forward."

That means redistricting should not effect us until the 2024 election.