Commission to take public comment on redistricting

EPHRATA — The Grant County commissioners will have a public comment session to get reactions on proposed changes in commissioner districts at a date and time yet to be determined.

Grant County Auditor Michelle Jaderlund said the boundaries of the three commission districts must be reviewed, and if necessary readjusted, every 10 years following the U.S. Census Bureau results.

“It’s based on population,” she said.

Washington law requires commission districts to represent about the same number of people, as far as it’s practical, she said. In Grant County, that would be about 30,000 people per district.

Most commission district boundaries in the proposed changes remain about the same, with the exception of an area north of Warden. See the map online at https://grantcountywa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/sidebar/index.html?appid=f721fdbee3c046edafdd549619400164.

A section of the area between Davis Road and Road 6 Southeast is in Commission District 2, represented by Rob Jones. That area will be moved to Commission District 1, represented by Danny Stone.

Some small areas of land near Ephrata will be moved from Commission District 1, represented into District 3, represented by commissioner Cindy Carter. Jaderlund said those properties are unoccupied, but didn’t explain why uninhabited land needed to be moved to another district.

Commissioners have the final approval on the boundary changes, and will consider the proposal after the public comment is completed.