Project Complete

​Purpose

Kitsap County is required by Washington State RCW 29A.76.010 to update their commissioner district voting districts to reflect the results of each decennial census (2010).  This update is intended to ensure the commissioner districts meet specific criteria:

• Each district shall be nearly equal in population as possible.
• Each district shall be as compact as possible (avoid unusual irregular boundaries).
• Each district shall not be configured in a way as to disfavor any racial group or political party.
• Each district shall consider natural boundaries and preserve existing communities, as feasible.
  

Washington State, upon receipt of the 2010 census data, has 45-days to forward the information to the County (April 2010).  The County then has 8 months to complete a redistricting plan and have it approved by the County Commissioners (likely by December 1, 2011).

To complete this project, coordination of the Special Projects, Auditor's Office, CENCOM and Community Development are necessary to apply the results of the 2010 census. This project also includes a consolidation and accuracy review of the departments' varying addressing data.  

 Schedule

The project would require a series of steps completed over the 2010 - 2011 time period:

         Coordination between Auditor, CENCOM and Community Development on accurate addressing information for County residents
(July 2010 – June 2011)

Discussions with Board members, political parties, cities, community groups and citizens regarding existing district boundaries
(November 2010 – April 2011)

Receipt of 2010 Census data
(April 2011)

GIS conversion of Census data
(April 2011)

Presentations on Preliminary Data
(April – May 2011)

Development of Draft Redistricting Analysis
(May 2011 – August 2011)

Draft Analysis published
(September 2011)

Community Open Houses on Draft Analysis
(September 2011)

Board of Commissioner Hearing(s) on Draft Analysis
(October 24, 2011)

Redistricting Analysis approval
(December 1, 2011)

Update of local precinct boundaries to reflect redistricting
(2012)

Preliminary Analysis and Alternatives

Based upon a preliminary review of the 2010 US Census data, there is a 7.2% population difference between District 1 and 3 with District 2 falling in between.

The population numbers are as follows:
District 1 = 86,436
District 2 = 84,554
District 3 = 80,143

After public comments and a review of the redistricting criteria,  Kitsap County completed a set of three redistricting alternatives for full public review. With the relatively modest difference between District populations and boundaries that are geographically regular and compact, these alternatives vary from no change to small changes affecting some or all of the districts. Below is a summary of each alternative:

Alternative 1 maintains the current boundaries with no changes.
Alternative 2 modifies the boundaries by moving the Olympic View area west of Highway 3 and south of Mountain View Road into District 3 from District 1. Additionally, Alternative 2 moves the Tiger and Mission Lake area from District 2 to District 3.
Alternative 3 only modifies the District 1 and 3 boundary by moving the area east of Ridgetop Blvd. and west of Silverdale Way from District 1 to District 3. No changes are made to the District 2 and 3 boundary.