Census Backs District Complaints
by March 19, 2001 12:00 am 52 views
The March 16 release of the state’s 2000 U.S. Census data validated the gripes of Northwest Arkansas lawmakers and business leaders, who for the last decade have said the area is underrepresented in the Arkansas General Assembly.
The 3rd U.S. Congressional District’s population grew 29.7 percent from 587,321 in 1990 to 764,853 for 2000. At the same time, the population of central Arkansas’ 2nd District increased 13.4 percent to 666,058. That was followed on the Arkansas Delta with a 1st District increase of 7 percent (to 629,974) and in south Arkansas with a 4th District increase of 4.7 percent (to 612,515).
If the state’s 2000 population of 2,673,400 is to be divided equally among the four districts, that would make an ideal quarter contain 668,350 people. The 3rd District has 14 percent more than that figure, so it will have to shrink to make its representation fair.
But the state legislative districts, drawn within the four main zones, are the big concern. It’s obvious that east and south Arkansas are losing people to the northwest, so those areas should also be losing assembly seats to the area that’s growing.
The combined population of Benton and Washington counties is now 311,259, a 48 percent leap from their 1990 total of 210,908. That compares to eight counties in the 1st District and 12 in the 4th District that lost population. The 2nd District’s Pulaski County, home to the state capital and Arkansas’ largest city, only gained 3.4 percent.
Benton County’s growth was even 4 percent over regional planning predictions. By next census, Northwest Arkansas expects to be the state’s largest metropolitan area.
That should make the task of redrawing assembly districts easier for the Arkansas Apportionment Board this spring. The board of Gov. Mike Huckabee, Attorney General Mark Pryor and Secretary of State Sharon Priest will divide Arkansas’ voting age population by 35 state Senate and 100 House seats to come up with ideally sized assembly districts.
A 10 percent variance allows the board to err on the high side for Northwest Arkansas’ growing population. The 1991 board took no such measure, and the area’s representation was quickly out of whack.
The Governor, the triumvirate’s lone Republican, is enjoying a 75 percent statewide approval rating. But should this area get shorted again, he can expect weakened support in his party’s only Arkansas stronghold.
Not to mention legal action against the Apportionment Board.