Uptown to Chapel area will likely stay in county’s District 3

Coconino County, like Yavapai County, will undergo redistricting efforts, though the redistricting will likely not affect the portion of Sedona within Coconino County.

Patty Hansen, elections administrator for Coconino County, said Sedona is expected to remain a part of District 3 under Supervisor Matt Ryan, though parts of Ryan’s district will be divvied up to balance a shift in population numbers following the 2010 Census.

“We’ve noticed there has been quite a bit of population shift in the last 10 years. District 5 is Lena Fowler’s district. It’s too small in population and has to pick up population,” Hansen said.

Ryan’s District 3 meanwhile, which includes Sedona, is too large, leading to a shift in the districts.

“Unfortunately the two districts don’t touch,” Hansen said. “What we’re trying to do is make adjustments so they all come together to be more equal in size.”

Hansen said the Coconino County Board of Supervisors will meet Monday, July 11, to decide on a possible plan based on public comment and other considerations. There are currently three scenarios proposed for the redistricting effort.

“They could send two or all three out again, but they have to be done by October,” Hansen said. By law, the redistricting process must be completed by Thursday, Dec. 1, she added.

“In all three scenarios, Sedona stays in District 3, which is Matt Ryan’s. Sedona is sort of right in the middle of the current District 3 and right on the edge of the county. It makes sense that it would stay in District 3.”

Ryan said that, while Sedona will remain in District 3, approximately 5,500 residents will be shifted from District 3.

“A good piece of the population I will lose comes out of Flagstaff and the [Northern Arizona University] area. There is a scenario where I lose the unincorporated areas above Williams and north of Interstate 40 and Parks. There’s another scenario where I lose communities down in the south section: Mormon Lake, Highway 87, Blue Ridge, Forest Lakes,” Ryan said.

In Coconino County, Ryan said a lot of the supervisory districts are defined around parameters defined by the U.S. Department of Justice for minority voters.

“We have District 5 where over 60 percent of the population is Native American,” Ryan said. “A lot of our supervisory districts are built around that criteria, so we don’t dilute those numbers; otherwise, the Department of Justice will make us go and redo them.”