Valparaiso City Councilwoman Barbara Domer continues to collect voter feedback for her proposed ordinance for redistricting city council seats in preparation for the 2032 election.
More than 50 people attended a public forum at Valparaiso City Hall Thursday night, hosted by Domer, the League of Women Voters of Porter County and Common Cause Indiana, to hear details of the plan drafted by Domer and ask questions. Domer said she plans to introduce her final ordinance to fellow city council members at the Oct. 13 meeting and hopes for a final vote at the Oct. 27 meeting.
“This ordinance to create a bipartisan Citizens Redistricting Advisory Commission to draft legislative district maps is something we’ve needed for some time, and it’s one of the reasons I had for running for city council,” said Domer, D-3rd.
“This city council’s redistricting process in 2022 should have been directed by voters, not our own politicians, and $50,000 spent on a consulting firm from Indianapolis for something we have the knowledge and ability to create ourselves in a fair and unbiased process.”
After months of research and input, including an initial public forum in May to gauge interest, Domer said she is proud of the ordinance and plan she has drafted, which she says establishes redistricting procedures that are “transparent, inclusive and invite public participation.”
One of the highlights of Domer’s draft ordinance includes establishing a five-member Citizens Redistricting Advisory Commission, formed no later than March 1, 2026, to make recommendations to the city council to divide the city into the five council districts from which council members shall be elected.
“In 2016, the mayor and city council authorized a resolution at that time calling for the entire state of Indiana to establish a statewide redistricting commission to draw the maps for the state,” Domer reminded.
“If that was the thought that it was reasonable to call for an independent state redistricting commission back in 2016, then our city redistricting commission is certainly a valid endeavor now.”
Ken Taylor, who served on the Valparaiso City Council in the 1980s, spoke during the public comment portion, emphasizing his “more than 40 years experience in the election process.”
“You must have the advice of attorneys and other professionals in this process to make sure you don’t get legal challenges because you might have violated the Voting Rights Act,” Taylor said.
“Another important reminder is, you cannot break precinct boundaries because those boundaries have already been preset for national and state elections and must stay locked in for local elections. It’s all part of very important criteria.”
Taylor added that having people on the commission who aren’t knowledgeable opens up the potential for lawsuits.
“Lastly, before this ordinance is even in full effect, you have two council elections first, (the) 2027 council election, and then the 2031 election on this proposed commission,” he said.
Domer said Center Township Trustee Jesse Harper, who also spoke during the public comment portion of the one-hour presentation, shared points she said she will research further.
One of his concerns was about restrictions for those who have been recent holders of a public office not being considered as members of the proposed redistricting commission.
“I do support this (proposed ordinance) because it’s a way to get citizens engaged,” Harper said.
“However, I do question what the definition is of a public official. It’s incredibly vague. I think there’s an area where we would or would not consider a lot of people appointed to boards or other committees as a public official. So I would suggest this be more clearly defined. Generally speaking, people who would be interested in being part of this will likely be people who, in the past, might have helped knock on doors or place yard signs. So this net might be a little too wide.”
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Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.