Election Commission delays Sebastian County redistricting vote

A vote to approve new Sebastian County Quorum Court district lines has been delayed to Nov. 1.

The Sebastian County Election Commission was set to approve the new map during a Friday morning meeting, but Sebastian County Republican Party Chairman Rex Terry asked for the chance to present an alternative map.

On the commission are Lee Webb, a former Quorum Court member and chairman of the Sebastian County Democratic Party, David Harp, a Democrat, and David Damron, the lone Republican on the commission.

Terry and Quorum Court members Leo Faulkner and Bob Schwartz, Republicans both, have complained because the new lines place them in the same district. During the Oct. 18 Quorum Court meeting, Faulkner and Schwartz spent several minutes expressing their displeasure about the new lines.

“In the past, they would have always worked around you. That’s what they’ve always done. I understand they’re trying to square it up, but this Election Commission has the option to put the lines where they want,” Faulkner said during the Quorum Court meeting.

Terry requested that Sebastian County Clerk Sharon Brooks, a Republican, develop an alternative map that does not place current Quorum Court members in the same district.  During a post-meeting interview, Terry said he told the commission “in a candid exchange” it is “fundamentally unfair” that the new lines only impact Republicans. He pointed out that the new lines include a district without a current officeholder in which Webb “just happens to live.”

Harp agreed to provide more time for the alternative map. The next commission meeting is scheduled for Nov. 1.

“David Harp stepped up and agreed to that. So in all fairness to David, I want him to have the credit for being willing to do that,” Terry said.

Webb told The City Wire it will be “pretty tough” to change the lines because the precinct lines have been set, the Arkansas House and Senate lines are set and federal minority population rules must be followed.

“I don’t see how they are going to do it, but I think it (delaying the vote) was the right thing to do. We gave them the opportunity to come up with a counter plan,” Webb said.

Jerry Huff, director of the Sebastian County Election Commission, said the process — which includes filing with the county and state and a public review period — must be completed by Jan. 2.

Terry said he is ““sensitive” to the challenge of keeping the district numbers equal while following minority population rules, but thinks an alternative map is possible.

“I believe it can be done. I know it can be done. They seem to take the position that precinct lines are sacrosanct, but they are not,” Terry said.