County approves precinct changes

Due to redistricting, Stephens County shift from being in two congressional districts to one. Commissioners approved an item to allow County Elections Administrator Christie Latham to begin the process of changing each precincts’ name during last Monday’s regular meeting.

Since 1972, Stephens County had been represented by one U.S. Representative, shifting from District 22 to District 30 before the 1992 elections, and then to District 24 in the 1994 elections.

During the redistricting process in 2010, the county was split into two congressional districts. The southern part of the county was District 11, currently represented by August Pfluger, and the northern half was District 19, currently represented by Jodey Arrington.

“Ten years ago, when they redistricted, Stephens County was one of the few select lucky counties to have two different congressional districts. And the redistricting being a tedious process, we tried to simplify every way we could. And at the time, what we did was take each voting precinct and have a 2-11, which denoted the 11th congressional district, and a 2-19 for the 19th (congressional district), then 3-11, 3-19, 4-11, (and) 4-19,” Latham said.

The county was redistricted again after the 2020 Census, moving to District 25, which is currently represented by Roger Williams. Additional counties in the newly drawn district include Young, Jack, Palo Pinto, Eastland, Comanche, Erath, Hood, Somervell, and portions of Callahan, Parker, Tarrant, and Johnson Counties. The new districts set out in bills enacted during the 87th Legislature will apply to elections beginning with the primary and general elections in 2022.

Latham discussed how the redistricting process will simplify the county’s five precincts.

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