COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina lawmakers held their first public hearing on redistricting in South Carolina on Tuesday.
The idea is for residents to share their opinions and concerns regarding the redistricting process.
The meeting was the first of ten public hearings to listen to public opinion about redrawing the state Senate and seven U.S. Congressional Districts districts based on new population data.
Every decade, state lawmakers are required to redraw district lines when population data from the U.S. Census Bureau is released. The goal is for each district to roughly have the same number of people in it.
For residents, which lawmaker represents you and who you vote for in local elections depends on which district you live in.
At Tuesday's hearing, some said voters want more of a choice.
One woman said, "This system is advantageous to those in power, but it is unfair to me and the people of South Carolina."
Another said, "I urge you, as leaders of the people, make sure you are fair when you draw these lines."
Others are calling for the lines be drawn to better represent urban living in rural South Carolina. One woman said, "Our house, 4.3 miles from downtown, is mapped for District 21, which includes lower Richland. I believe my community of interest has urban needs that differ from rural, Lower Richland."
The General Assembly expects to get more detailed data from the Census Bureau next month.
All public hearings will be held from 6:30-8:30 pm. Here is the schedule:
- July 28: Sumter Public Hearing, Central Carolina Technical College
- July 29: Rock Hill Public Hearing, York Technical College
- August 2: Greenville Public Hearing, Greenville County Council Chambers
- August 3: Florence Public Hearing, Florence-Darlington Technical College
- August 4: Beaufort Public Hearing, Technical College of the LowCountry
- August 9: Orangeburg Public Hearing, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
- August 10: Charleston Public Hearing, Trident Technical College
- August 11: Conway Public Hearing, Horry-Georgetown Technical College
- August 12: Aiken Public Hearing, Aiken Technical College
All public hearings and subcommittee meetings will be open to the public. Notices of all public hearings and subcommittee meetings will be posted on the Senate Redistricting website, here.
The subcommittee will accept in-person, virtual, and written testimony at each of the public hearings. To sign up to testify, email redistricting@scsenate.gov, call 803-212-6634, or sign up in person at any of the hearings.
After the meetings, lawmakers will draft up plans and hope to have the maps finalized by October.