Necessary division

Urban-rural split ought to be preserved

Political subdivisions are a necessary part of a representative government, but they have little role in defining individuals.

In the wake of the 2020 Census, political lines across the state are being redrawn. That requires choices about which neighborhoods, towns or counties will be glommed together to get the head count right for the decennial process to approximate the one-person, one-vote principle of the nation.

It can be rather random, grouping and dividing people in pursuit of a magic number, or as close to it as seemingly possible. The process can also be used to manipulate lines to satisfy one’s own perspective as to what’s best.

Is it keeping neighborhoods together? Should geographic features serve as clear and easy-to-understand borders? Should historical patterns of Republican or Democratic voting, or where incumbents live, factor into it?

At a recent meeting in Washington County, election commissioners reviewed possible redrawn boundaries for the 15 districts that make up the Washington County Quorum Court. Each district’s target population is 15,572 people.

Renee Oelschlaeger, a Republican appointee to the Election Commission, offered her thoughts about redrawing the districts, which have produced a current Quorum Court of 11 Republicans and four Democrats. The four Democrats all represent districts all or primarily within the city of Fayetteville.

And Oelschlaeger, who serves as chairman of the commission, had this thought:

“These three districts we have now in the south are mostly rural,” she said, looking at districts 13, 14 and 15 on a map. “These districts in the center are mostly in Fayetteville and Springdale. I would like to see if we can’t have a better mix of rural and urban in every district so every [Quorum Court member] represents the whole county.”

The Quorum Court districts in Washington County have long been situated in a bit of an urban/rural split, an arrangement that to a strong degree allows city residents in the larger towns to represent city residents, while rural residents carry the concerns of smaller towns and rural areas to the Washington County Courthouse.

Oelschlaeger appears to suggest breaking up those urban-only districts, which happens to also be where the four Democrats have been elected in the past. Throw in some rural voters and it’s more than likely it would make it harder for the voters in Fayetteville to elect their Democratic representatives. Coincidence?

Maybe that’s just politics, but beyond that, does it make sense to try to blend rural and urban areas together? The only argument against having rural and urban representation, it seems, is one of politics, not of necessity. Springdale and Fayetteville voters shouldn’t have their influence watered down out of some odd notion about blending unlike areas of the county.

If the goal was for every Quorum Court member to represent the entire county, all 15 positions would be elected at-large. The very existence of districts supports the idea that similar residents — i.e., city vs. rural — ought to be grouped together to whatever extent possible.

It’s worth remembering that city residents are county residents, too.

Might this urban-rural blending help one party over the other? Yes, but that shouldn’t be the goal.