Winneshiek County will soon start work on redistricting

Iowa's U.S. Congressional districts have been redistricted according to the results of the 2010 U.S. Census, as have state senate and state assembly districts.

Now it's Winneshiek County's turn to go through redistricting.  County officials will appoint a Temporary County Redistricting Commission on May 9th—one that has three, five or seven members.

The Commission will be charged with the task of using the 2010 U.S. Census results to draw up five county supervisor districts of roughly equal population.

Winneshiek County lost 350 people from 2000 to 2010, according to the census.  Most of that population loss came in the northern part of the county.

Winneshiek County Auditor Ben Steines, whose office supervises all elections, says he would prefer that the new county supervisor districts not divide townships into two supervisor districts (except for Decorah Township).  By law the county cannot divide the wards within the City of Decorah.

Steines says he's already drawn up three or four possible maps that would work.  The Redistricting Commission would have to pick one of those three maps—or come up with a map of its own—by October 15th.

The Winneshiek County Board is now accepting applications from interested community members willing to serve on the Temporary County Redistricting Commission.  Interested individuals should contact their county supervisor or send a letter of application to the Winneshiek County Auditor at 201 W. Main Street in Decorah, or e-mail auditor@co.winneshiek.ia.us