As most of you astute and informed DM readers know, because the 2010 US census indicated a demographic shift in our town that has led to a 7.97% deviation between Decatur’s two voting districts, the City Commission is pondering amendments to the City Charter to redraw the districts for city elections to comply with the “one-person/one-vote standard” of the United States and Georgia Constitutions. According to the US Department of Justice standards, election districts should not exceed a 5% deviation.

It’s rather a big, complicated business, however. Due to the small window of time to get paperwork to the Department of Justice this year and the fact that more recent data indicates a mere 5.75% deviation between Districts 1 and 2, the city will continue to use its current district configurations for the 2011 elections.

The plan is to consider changes (most likely in August City Commission meetings) that will bring the deviation to less than 3%, to be enacted by Jan 1, 2012.