Shifting population challenges Suffolk's redistricting

SUFFOLK

One-quarter of Suffolk has been responsible for three-quarters of its population growth in the past decade, leaving the city's political process unbalanced.

As localities look to redraw council and school board districts to reflect population changes, Suffolk faces the region's biggest challenge. Three of the city's seven boroughs - Sleepy Hole, Nansemond and Chuckatuck - contain more than half the city's people, the latest U.S. census figures show.

That's no surprise to Councilman Robert C. Barclay IV. When Barclay prepared to run for City Council in 2008, he checked voter registration numbers and found "a substantial disparity" between his Sleepy Hole borough and other parts of the city.

"I knew when I ran then that the numbers would have to be adjusted this year," he said. "One of the guiding principles is you've got to make the numbers equalized."

Suffolk isn't the only South Hampton Roads city that will have to redistrict based on the 2010 census figures, which were released last week. Norfolk and Virginia Beach also will go through the process. Although neither city saw the changes that Suffolk experienced, both will face challenges about minority representation.

Chesapeake and Portsmouth elect council and school board members at large, so redistricting doesn't apply.

In Suffolk, the 32 percent growth rate - and the unevenness of the population boom, which occurred mostly in the city's northern half - means the process could be controversial, as it was last time. In 2001, residents protested decisions to split some neighborhoods, accusing incumbent council members of using the process to try to retain power.

City Attorney C. Edward Roettger Jr. said the aim then was to do three things: place about 9,000 people in each borough; make three boroughs majority-white, three majority-black and one a toss-up; and protect incumbents by not drawing them out of the boroughs they lived in. Neighborhoods were sliced and diced considerably along racial lines to achieve that balance.

If the council follows a similar method this time, each council seat probably will represent about 12,000 residents.

Mayor Linda Johnson said the first redistricting steps will occur March 2, when the city manager's staff makes a presentation at a council work session to spell out the process and timeline.

Later, the U.S. Justice Department will have to sign off on new district lines for all three local cities to ensure fair representation to minority residents.

In Virginia Beach, NAACP leader Carl Wright said his group is asking the city to go to an all at-large format or create a minority-majority district.

"We're appealing to the City Council to change the charter," he said.

Although Virginia Beach's population is more than 35 percent minority, the City Council is all white. An effort to create a minority-majority district failed it 2001 after the City Council determined minorities were distributed too evenly throughout the city to create a district.

The council is elected citywide, but seven of the seats are district-specific while four are at-large.

The city expects to spend about $200,000 on a consultant to help draw new boundaries. Minor boundary changes are expected, especially in the Princess Anne District, an area near the city's municipal center that's experienced population growth.

"In all probability there will be adjustments, but I doubt it will as large as the previous 10 years," said Councilwoman Barbara Henley, who represents Princess Anne.

In Norfolk, minority representation also will come to a head. Although most of Norfolk's eight council members said they are inclined to "tweak" ward lines because of population changes, Councilman Paul R. Riddick said he will propose something radically different. He wants the council to draw four black-majority wards.

Whites slightly outnumber blacks in Norfolk, although neither commands a majority, according to the new census data. Hispanics and Asians make up about 10 percent of the city's population.

"I think it's something we need to do," Riddick said. "It would give the African American community, which comprises about half the city, a chance to elect half of the council."

The City Council has not discussed how it will handle redistricting.

Meghan Hoyer, (757) 446-2293, meghan.hoyer@pilotonline.com

Jeff Sheler, (757) 222-5563, jeff.sheler@pilotonline.com