MIDLAND, Texas — The census takes place every 10 years, and with it comes redistricting. As the Permian Basin continues to grow, redistricting could impact the way people in Midland vote and in what precinct they do it.
We were supposed to have a better idea of what the newly drawn lines would look like, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused a delay.
Overall, redistricting is an opportunity to positively impact the people in Midland.
"Redistricting happens every 10 years after the census is compiled, and then depending on the growth of a community, it is then that the lines are looked at to see and to make sure that all ethnicities are balanced and have the same opportunities to vote in their districts," Carolyn Graves, Midland County Elections Administrator, said.
However, redistricting is a process. It does not all come together immediately.
"First of all, redistricting is a process, and Midland County has hired the law firm of Bickerstaff to do the redistricting maps for us," Graves said. "So once all of the data has been fed into that, then they will bring to the commissioner's court their idea of what the maps should look like."
With potential for newly drawn lines, several changes could come at the polls as well.
"Once that’s done, then the maps will come to us and we will change those voters into their appropriate precinct, and as for how that affects us, everything has been pushed back," Graves said.
Graves referred to the dates for the primary elections. The upcoming November election should not be impacted, however.
"This November election will not be affected, and next November shouldn’t be either," Graves said. "What will be affected will be the primary. If there’s a primary runoff, everything will be pushed forward."