Opinion ID: 1239200
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 24

Heading: General Evaluation of Districting

Text: The development of the reapportionment districting was the product of adhering to two different, and at times conflicting principles  achieving the mathematical ideal of one-man-one-vote while preserving as far as possible the identity and integrity of the system of natural and socio-economic regions and local boundaries which are the result of Alaska's geography and history. The mathematical task, which was the primary consideration, was complicated by the relatively small total population base to be apportioned (e.g. a numerical change of a hundred persons creates a 1.3 percent variation), the vast total area over which this population was spread, and the highly irregular distribution pattern (57% of the population located in two compact urban centers and the remainder scattered in communities of varying sizes over a land area one-fifth that of the entire 48 continental states). In spite of these problems, the assignment given by the Court has been accomplished in accordance with these standards with only one major variation from the population norm (Ketchikan) in a total of 40 House and 20 Senate districts. In the context of the natural region in which this district is located, however, the variation is minimized. The geographic pattern of the districts results in combinations which conform to the major regions into which Alaska naturally and logically divides in geographic and socio-economic terms. The first three Senate districts form the Southeast region, with the population centers at Juneau and Ketchikan each comprising a Senate district. The eight-member Anchorage Senate district embraces a population core around which three rural Senate districts of larger area combine to include the total Gulf of Alaska drainage and the outer Aleutian Islands. The Bristol Bay-Bethel district is identical with the Southwest region and the North Slope-Bering Strait district is identical with the Northwest region. The Fairbanks districts define the urban-military core around which the large Interior district naturally belongs. In regard to preservation of established regional entities, this proposed plan represents an important improvement over existing plans which break up the Bering Sea region, and combine part with the Interior. With the exception of minor borrowing from the Anchorage and Fairbanks boroughs to raise the population of contiguous districts, the proposed plan does not modify local government boundaries.