By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
As the U.S. Census releases updated population figures every 10 years,
the Legislature rezones voting districts and boundaries to better represent
population shifts.
Attempting to get equal representation in each of the four congressional
districts in Kansas, Pawnee County was split in half. A portion of the county resides
in District 1, while the other half is in District 4.
Pawnee County Commissioner Bob Rein understands counties will get “carved up” when
districting happens, but felt cutting through the City of Larned did not make
sense.
"What really bothered me was the U.S. Congressional map," said Rein. "In my opinion, it was a lack of effort and communication from the state to the county. They drew this essentially as a highway boundary. Not only did it cut Larned in half, it also divided some of Larned's voting wards."
Three of the four precincts in the City of Larned have been split into two different
districts. Each of those precincts will have two different ballots now. Pawnee
County Election Officer Stacey Rein said the Legislature drew a line through
the middle of a block for one of their precincts.
The state representative map also divided Pawnee County further with residents
in the 113th and 117th districts. The house district
boundary separates the City of Larned from Larned State Hospital and Larned
Correctional Mental Health Facility.
"Pawnee County Commissioners have a different relationship with the State of Kansas than most county commissioners because of those facilities," said Bob Rein. "Pawnee County has done an extensive amount of work to support Larned State Hospital and to get the state to support the hospital. It's kind of a knife in the back to draw that line right there."
Rein recognizes in time the redistricting will make more sense, but expects confusion
among some residents figuring out who they’ll be voting for when elections
arrive.
Pawnee County hopes to mail voting cards to residents soon that outline what
voting districts they reside in.