LAWTON — Lawton Redistricting Commission is moving one step closer to adopting a new voting ward map.
The commission hosted a public hearing Jan. 14 about the new map, which sets boundaries for Lawton’s eight voting wards. No one from the audience commented on the proposed map, clearing the way for the commission to approve the map as presented after a 10-day waiting period.
Population shifts
Using the most recent census data as a guide, the commission redraws ward boundaries once a decade to account for shifts in population. Census numbers indicate that Lawton’s population declined by about 6,600 people over the past 10 years, for a total population of 76,752 in 2020.
Each ward should have roughly the same number of people, with a spread of no more than 10% between the largest and smallest wards — although a deviation higher than 10% is allowed if it helps achieve a legitimate goal, such as following voting precinct boundaries to avoid splitting precincts between wards.
In drawing the new boundaries, the commission should preserve communities with similar interests and ethnic backgrounds as much as possible.
City staff has produced a new ward map, known as Option A, which includes a 9.3% deviation between the largest and smallest wards. A deviation of less than 10% is allowed under the commission’s guidelines.
The new map is similar to the current one, said Janet Smith, director of city planning.
“We tried to stay with the same wards and mapping areas that we had before, but we did have to adjust based on the 6,600 residents we decreased by,” she said. “But in general, we did stay pretty much the same, with 86% (of voters) being unaffected by the Option A.”
Ward 4 gained 128 residents and was the only ward to maintain its population, according to information from City Hall. All other wards lost anywhere from 200 to slightly more than 1,700 residents.
Ward 8, which had the most changes of any ward, shifted south and west and now includes more industrial areas, according to City Hall. The other wards saw only minor changes.
The commission will meet again at 2 p.m. Jan. 26 to formally adopt the new map.