New district maps coming for Sarasota County

As Sarasota County embarks upon an effort to redraw the map outlining district boundaries for commission elections, some officials are expressing hope the process will be more straightforward than it was in 2019.

“Our consultant thinks he can do this quickly moving just a couple of lines,” County Commissioner Nancy Detert said. “I think he can too.”

The County Commission voted unanimously today to produce a new district map before the end of the year based on data from the 2020 census. According to information presented at today’s meeting, census data shows a 14.2% spread between the populations of the smallest and largest districts in the county — a gap in excess of the 10% benchmark used to determine whether a map is generally legally defensible.

The commission’s last redistricting effort occurred two years ago, adopting a new map despite vocal objections from some residents. Although county staff estimated a district map produced in 2011 remained legally defensible, a consultant projection pegged the difference between the largest and smallest districts at 12.3%. Critics of the 2019 redistricting effort argued the available population data was not reliable enough to justify a new map, and that adjusting district boundaries twice in two years would unnecessarily prevent some voters from participating in both the 2020 and 2022 elections. 

Despite any controversy — and census data showing a lack of balance in the 2019 map — some county officials stood behind the previous redistricting effort.

“We were right to do it before,” Detert said. “We’ve got it pretty well in balance. We need to do it again, but in a much more minor way.”

Resident R.N. Collins spoke at today’s meeting and encouraged the county to prioritize fairness and logic during the redistricting process. Although Commissioner Mike Moran suggested redistricting could become a biennial undertaking, Collins discouraged the idea of trying to continually adjust boundaries without the benefit of census-level population data. 

“We don’t want to hold large blocs of people out of voting for six, eight, 10 years,” Collins said.

Collins said using the 2011 district maps in the 2020 election would have only been marginally less balanced than the redrawn maps the county adopted in 2019.

“I would recommend not redistricting between censuses because it is very, very, very difficult to do a sub-county distribution of population based on the type of estimates that are available,” Collins said.

The county agreed to have consultant Kurt Spitzer and Associates draw alternative maps that sought to minimize disruption to existing boundaries. The commission also directed County Administrator Jonathan Lewis to create a portal for residents to submit proposed district maps. The adopted 2019 map was based on a submission from resident Bob Waechter, former chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota County — another aspect of the previous redistricting effort that drew criticism.

Since 2019, elected county officials have said a voter-backed charter amendment creating single-member districts for County Commission races created a need to place more emphasis on keeping the map balanced. Previously, all five commission seats were filled in countywide elections. Although some officials have expressed displeasure with single-member districts, two speakers at today’s meeting sought to push back against any efforts to reverse the outcome of the 2018 referendum.

Resident Pat Rounds noted the county’s recently completed community survey showed 40% of respondents approve of single-member districts, while 26% disapprove.

“The people of Sarasota County have now told you twice they want direct representation and accountability for county commissioners,” Rounds said.