The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission held a public meeting and hearing on Saturday with the main meeting being at the Hon-Dah Resort in Pinetop. Remote locations at Holbrook and Winslow also participated in the hearing by telephone and television technology. Unfortunately, there were difficulties with the technical devices and Winslow attendees could not hear much from the other locations or communicate effectively themselves. The audience in Winslow was relatively small with only approximately 20 to 25 persons in attendance.

The commission consists of five members, two democrats, two republicans and one independent. They are Chairperson Colleen Cayle Mathis, Vice Chairpersons Scott Day Freeman and Jose M. Herrera, and Commissioners Linda C. McNulty and Richard P. Stertz. The Winslow portion of the meeting was directed by Executive Director Raymond F. Blandine.

After some delays due to technical difficulties, the meeting began with a presentation on the redistricting process. Arizona’s Independent Redistricting Commission was created by passage of an initiative proposition in 2000.

This could be a very important issue this year, as Arizona will have an additional member of the U.S. House of Representatives due to its growth in population. Boundaries for legislative districts will be redrawn by the commission.

The Winslow audience was unable to hear speakers from the other two locations, but five persons from Winslow spoke before that portion of the meeting adjourned, including Louie Gill, Susan Lawler, Bill Shumway, Marianne Richardson and Sarah Smithson. All thanked the commission for the opportunity to express their concerns and opinions. All also spoke of the importance of having districts in which rural areas will have adequate representation. Most proposed that two of Arizona’s Congressional districts be primarily rural districts with similar concerns. An eastern and a western Arizona district were usually the suggestion.

Other concerns expressed were that the districts should be competitive in nature, which was seen as making it likely that representatives elected would be willing to compromise to reach solutions and work with other representatives to do so.