Westward population shift to shape new Oahu districts

Now that it has decided to include various nonresident populations in the overall population base, the City Council Reapportionment Commission is preparing to draw its new set of political boundaries for Oahu’s nine Council districts.

Like the state’s proposed maps, the new lines are expected to reflect the population growth pushing west into the communities of Kapolei and parts of Ewa and Mililani. Census figures have shown slower growth in areas of central Oahu, including Pearl City and Aiea, as well as in urban and east Honolulu and windward Oahu to Kahuku.

The Council Reapportionment Commission, at its next scheduled meeting Wednesday, plans to discuss four strategies for carving up the island’s districts: starting at Kaena Point, starting at Makapuu Lighthouse, starting at both points or using the existing districts and simply adjusting the boundaries based on census numbers.

At its last meeting, commission members voted to include nonresident military members and dependents, students and incarcerated felons in the overall population base, just as the state Reapportionment Commission has done in crafting its proposed maps. To date, Elections Office personnel working with the state Reapportionment Commission have been unable to get enough data to accurately extract those groups from the total population count.

Meanwhile, the state commission is in the process of soliciting comments on its proposed plans at various public meetings statewide.

The commission held meetings in Kapolei, Kahului, Lahaina and Lihue last week, with meetings set for this week in Kailua, the state Capitol, Mililani and Lanai City.

Public meetings are expected to draw larger crowds the following week when held on the Big Island, where groups have opposed the commission’s 8-1 July vote to include the various nonresident populations in the total population base. Including those groups keeps a larger portion of the population base on Oahu, negating population growth on the Big Island that otherwise would result in Hawaii island getting an additional seat in the state Senate.

Rep. Bob Herkes (D, Volcano-Kainaliu) has presented the state commission with an opinion from the state attorney general’s office stating that a legal challenge seeking to exclude the nonresident populations likely would succeed. Among others, the Hawaii County Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaii has urged the state party to pursue all legal options, including a lawsuit if necessary, to overturn the decision.