Independent Tompkins County Redistricting Commission Appointments
The Tompkins County Legislature unanimously appointed nine community members to an independent redistricting commission on November 19, 2021. Legislator Amanda Champion shared that this group will be tasked with drawing new district lines for the Legislature. The independent commission members include:
Henrik N. (Hank) Dullea (Chair)
Elliot (Poppy) Immel
Charles Nocera
Vivek Iyer
Margaret Hobbie
Carolyn Chang
Jan Vink
Marcia E. Lynch
Jeffrey True
Commission Chair Hank Dullea stated, “When I met with the interview committee, I said we’d be committed to fairness in this process and also, importantly, the appearance of fairness. We’ll stress the importance of community interests as we look at the data.” Dullea added that feedback would be sought from the current Legislature on the size of the body (the size was previously moved from 15 to 14 members during the 2010 redistricting process).
Tompkins County Charter and Code provides for the reapportionment of the Tompkins County Legislature:
Upon publication of the results of the federal decennial census for Tompkins County, the Tompkins County Legislature shall prepare a plan for reapportionment, which shall contain recommendations as to the number and geographical boundaries of the various districts from which members of the Tompkins County Legislature shall be nominated and elected at the primary and general elections. The Tompkins County Legislature shall approve a plan for reapportionment of such Legislature at least 30 days prior to the first date for circulation of designating petitions for nomination of the primary election of members of the Tompkins County Legislature. Such plan shall be termed the basis for nomination and election of the Tompkins County Legislature until the publication of the next decennial census, at which time the Tompkins County Legislature shall prepare a reapportionment plan.
The Tompkins County Legislature in planning such reapportionment shall appoint a committee on reapportionment to assist it in arriving at a plan of reapportionment.
The United States Federal Census was conducted in 2020, with the results available in the fourth quarter of 2021. Pursuant to Section C-2.09 the Charter and Code, the Tompkins County Legislature shall appoint a committee on reapportionment.