Kanawha County Commission www.kanawha.us

Media Release

For Immediate Release Date: July 8,2011 Contact: W. Kent Carper 304-357-0100, Fax: 304-357-0788

Kanawha County Releases Findings on Redistricting Pnblic Fornm

Charleston, WV - The Kanawha County Commission has issued a summruy repOli, detailing the key points made by the speakers at the June 22, 2011 Public FOlum on Redishlcting held in COUliroom 4 in the Kanawha County Courthouse. The summary report, which is attached, is being sent to all members of the State Senate Redistricting Committee and the House of Delegates Redismcting Committee, as well as to all the Kanawha County State Senators and Delegates. The Kanawha County Commission wishes to emphasize that this is a separate and distinct issue to redishlct the State Senate and House of Delegates districts and the Congressional districts and is the sole responsibility of the West Virginia Legislature. The Kanawha County Commission has sole responsibility to adjust the four Magisterial Dismcts to make sure they have a population balance, within the limits, as prescribed by State Law.

The Kanawha County Commission will conduct a Public Hearing on August 4, 2011 at 6:00 pm in the County Commission COUliroom to take public comment on the proposed changes to Kanawha County Magisterial Dismcts, as required by law. The Kanawha County Commission is reviewing a proposal submitted by the Kanawha County Clerk to shift Precincts 258 and 260 from Dismct 2 into District 1, to balance the population in those Magisterial Dismcts. Magisterial Dismcts 3 and 4 will not require any precinct adjushuents. The Kanawha County Commission is also in the process of reviewing potential alternative. plans. All proposed plans will be available via the County's website (www.kanawha.us/redishlcting) on Thursday, July 28, 2011. KANAWHA COUNTY COMMISSION

Post Office Box 3627 Telephone (304) 357-0101 Charleston, West Virginia 25336 Fax (304) 357-0788 www.kanawha.us

Henry C. Shores w. Kent Carper Dave Hardy Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner July 8, 2011

The Honorable Richard Thompson West Virginia House of Delegates Building 1, Room 228M State Capitol Complex Charleston, WV 25305

Dear Speaker Thompson:

I have included below, for your consideration, a summary of the Public Forum on Redistricting that was held by the Kanawha County Clerk, in conjunction with the Kanawha County Commission, on June 22, 2011 in Courtroom #4 at 7 pm. The meeting was attended by about 100 people.

Kanawha County Redistricting Meeting Sunnnary - June 22, 2011

Kanawha County Clerk Vera McCormick began the meeting and stated that the purpose of the meeting was to take public comment on Redistricting. She also introduced the members of the House of Delegates who attended the meeting. The House of Delegates members who attended the meeting included Delegates , Nancy Guthrie, Mark Hunt, Patrick Lane, Danny Wells, Tim Armstead, Eric Nelson, and Ron Walters. All the delegates attending the meeting except for Delegate Wells sat at the front table. Vera McCormick then introduced Commission President Kent Carper, who noted that public comment on redistricting was important since the final redistricting plan would be in effect for 10 years. Jolm Luoni served as facilitator. Carrie Clendening had maps produced showing the CUlTent State Congressional Districts, the State Senate Districts, the House of Delegate Districts and the County Magisterial Districts, which were placed on easels at the front of the Courtroom.

There were 28 speakers at the public forum. The main topic of the speakers was whether Kanawha County would be better served by single member or multiple member delegate districts in the House of Delegates. The speakers were basically split 50-50 in their discussion of Multiple Member Districts versus Single Member Districts. At the conclusion of the 28 speakers, each Member of House of Delegates who attended the meeting spoke about their personal belief on the subject of Multiple Delegate Districts versus Single Delegate Districts. The meeting adjourned at about 10:30 pm.

The speakers who favored the CUlTent Multiple Member set-up cited the following reasons: • how effective the cmTent seven-member district is • how it helps secure grant funding by having seven delegates work together • how it has helped with gaining funding for water and sewer projects in Eastern Kanawha County • how it has led to better teamwork for the good of the county as opposed to in­ fighting that often occurs in areas served by single member delegates • reduces impact of special interest money • how other counties with single delegate districts (such as Monongalia County) feel they are at a disadvantage to Kanawha County because their delegates are not as organized and unified on County issues. • Regardless of whether someone has conservative or liberal views they can find someone in their district who shares their views and would be willing to sponsor legislation, whereas that is less likely to happen in a single delegate district. • There is more turnover in multiple delegate districts than in single member districts. Single member delegates become more entrenched. • There is more diversity in multiple delegate districts than in a comparable number of single delegate districts.

The speakers who favored Single member districts cited the following reasons: • They are more likely to see their delegate at a gas station or grocery store. • They believe this is more like the principle of one-man, one-vote. • They believe multiple member districts give Charleston too much power. e They believe this will lead to more govenunent funding of their district. • They will be better able to talk to their delegate. e It will encourage democracy by lowering the cost of running for office. • West Virginia is out-of-step with 40 states which already have single delegate districts.

Thornton Cooper, one of the speakers, also produced a map, which he placed on of the easels, showing how he thought Kanawha County could be divided into single delegate districts.

There was little discussion about Congressional Districts, other than most speakers do not want to be in the 3rd Congressional District.

There was also little discussion about the Senate Districts, and limited discussion about Magisterial Districts.

The meeting concluded at about 10:15 pm.

Please contact John Luoni or Canie Clendening in the Kanawha County Commission office at 304-357-0100 if you have any questions or comments.

Sincerely,

W. Kent Carper President, Kanawha County Commission