The Warren County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing regarding the upcoming redistricting for the board expansion from three to five members beginning in 2025. Carlisle Mayor and Redistricting Committee Chair Drew Merrifield tells KNIA News the committee from the beginning aimed to create five districts of equal population, with an equal representation of city and rural populations for all five of the districts. Merrifield also said another aim from the beginning was to not take political affiliation or titles from those on the committee into consideration.

“My edict when we started this was any party affiliation or titles were left at the door. We wanted nothing about gerrymandering, which would do with party affiliation, tossed out the window. We cared nothing about party affiliation. We cared nothing about titles. There were two mayors on this committee, myself and mayor from Norwalk Tom Phillips, and the mayors meant nothing to this board. We were two citizens doing our part for the county.”

The redistricting proposal now goes in front of the Board of Supervisors for approval at a later meeting, and will then be sent to the State of Iowa Legislative Services Agency for final approval.