HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-01-1996 - 10a 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: October 1. 1996
Action Agenda
Item # /0-Q
SUBJECT: REPORT- POTENTIAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS FOR COMMISSIONER
ELECTIONS
ACTION BY:
DEPARTMENT: PLANNING PUBLIC HEARING: Yes_.X—No
BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUIRED: Yes_X_No
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Stancil
Eat 2590
• Map of Potential Districts
• Summary Demographic Report
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough -732-8181
Durham -688-7331
Mebane -227-2031
Chapel Hill -967-9251
PURPOSE: To consider a draft of potential Residential Districts for future election of County
Commissioners.
BACKGROUND: On August 20,the Board of Commissioners considered an item on future district
election of County Commissioners. Currently, Commissioners are elected at-large
in partisan primary and general elections and serve staggered four-year terms. In
response to calls from some citizens to have Commissioners elected by district,
the Board discussed the possibility that future elections be conducted by
Residential District using countywide vote of the electorate.
Under this proposal,the current staggered terms and partisan primary process
would continue to apply. The County would be divided into five Residential
Districts of roughly-equal population, and each district would be represented by
one seat on the Board. All registered voters in the County would be eligible to
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vote on all candidates in the years they represent their party in a general election.
Only registered voters of a particular party may vote on candidates in their party
in the primary election.
In creating Residential Districts,census data is the accepted standard for reliable
data to ensure equally-proportioned districts. To create'a draft of potential
Residential Districts, Planning staff has utilized a demographic software program
to configure five districts of roughly-equal population using 1990 Census data. A
map of these districts and summary data on each district is provided as an
attachment. Using the 1990 Census, each district would ideally contain 18,770
persons. The five potential districts shown are within 5%of the 18,770 mean,and
projections to the year 2001 show that each district would continue to contain
generally the same proportion of the population.
The limitation of Census geography is that the"building blocks"used to
configure districts are 1990 Census Block Groups. The Block Groups do not
conform to township lines or other political features,and instead use natural
features as boundaries. Because of sparse population in some rural areas,many
block groups are of substantial geographic size.As such,it is not currently
possible to split these Block Groups in the district configuration.
Legal issues related to Residential District election will be addressed by the
County Attorney. Costs of implementation would need to be further explored,
although costs are expected to be minimal since the only substantive change will
involve Board of Elections verification of candidate residence.
RECOMMENDATION: As the Board decides.
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PCensus for Windows Page 1
Orange County Planning Department
PCensus Project
1990 Census of Population and Housing
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Total Population (%base) 19,273 17,989 19,013
Population/square mile 96 1251 8171
Land area(square miles) 200.4 144.5 23.3
By Sex:
Total Male 9,536 49% 8,700 48% 8,785 46%
Total Female 9,737 51% 9,289 ' 52% 10,228 54%
By Age;
Under 5 years 1,492 8% 1,282 7% 965 1 5%
5 to 17 years 3,347 17% 3,070 ' 17% 2,489 13%
18 to 24 years 1,743 9% 1,484 8% 3,995 ' 21%'.
25 to 34 years 3,8641 20% 3,245 18% 3,641 19%
35 to 44 years 3,466 18% 3,550 20% 2,880 15%
45 to 54 years 2,0391 11% 18861 10% 1,8001 9%
55 to 64 years 1,589 r 8% 1,539 9% 1,199 6%
65 years and over 1,733 9% 1,933 11% 2,044 11%','
Mean age 34.15 35.47 34.54
By Race/Hispanic Origin:
White 15,5361 81% 13,674 1 76% 15,675 82%{,
Black 3,540 '. 18% 4,110 � 23% 2,505 13%',
American Indian, Eskimo,Aleut 571 0% 49 i 0% 54 0%
Asian or Pacific Islander 52 : 0% 97 1% 697 4%'
Other race 88 1 0% 59 , 0% 82 ' 0%
Hispanic origin(of any race) 224 1% 176 1% 305 2%
Persons living in households 19,015 99% 17,885 99% 18,1321 95%
In faarily households 17,001 88% 15,579 1 87% 12,019 63%
In nonfan*households 2,014 ; 10% 2,306 13% 6,1131 32%'i
Persons In group quarters 25811 1% 104 1 1% 881 5%
Institutionalized persons 237 1% 101 1% 348 2%
Others 21 0% 3 0% 533 11 3%
October 1, 1996
PCensus for Windows 5
Page 1
Orange County Planning Department
PCensus Project
1990 Census of Population and Housing
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Total Population (%base) 18,032 19544
Population/square mile 1,026 1,622
Land area(square miles) 17.6 12.0
By Sex:
Total Male 8,5591 47% 8,891.' 45%
Total Female 9,473 53% 10,653 55%
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By Age:
Under 5 years 936 5% 656 3%
5 to 17 years 1980, ` 11% 1,530 8%
18 to 24 years 4,751 26% 9,3571 48%
25 to 34 years
4,8401 27% 2,589 ' 13%
35 to 44 years 2,651 15% 1,805 9%1
45 to 54 years 1,2671, 7% 1,214 6%
55 to 64 years 691 4% 883 5%
65 years and over 916 5% 1,510 ' 8%
Mean age 30.44 i 29.92
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By Race/Hispanic Origin:
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White 14,466 80% 16,520 85%
Black 2,8081 16% 1,930 , 10%
American Indian, Eskimo,Aleut 60 ! 0% 66 0%0
Asian or Pacific Islander 585 3% 930 5%
Other race 113 1% 98 1
Hispanic origin(of any race) 301 11 2% 273 1%
Persons living in households 18,022 100% 11,573 59%
In family households 10,123 56% 8,203 42%
In nonfamily households 7,899 44% 3,370 17%
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j Persons in group quarters 10 0% 7,971 41%
Institutionalized persons 0 0% 841 0%
Others 10 0% 7,887 40%
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October 1, 1996
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