Will new Beaufort County political maps split Gullah neighborhoods? What we know
Historic Gullah community members are concerned that both of the proposed redistricting maps for Beaufort County Council and school board would split their 14 neighborhoods on Hilton Head Island into two separate districts: 10 and 8.
At least five members of the Gullah community attended Wednesday night’s hearing at the Hilton Head Island recreational center for the final County Council meeting on the proposed maps. They worried that the maps prioritized how many individuals are required to be in each district over the cultural criteria that stipulate minority communities and communities of interest must remain together.
County Council members representing Hilton Head Island — Chris Hervochon, Lawrence McElynn and Stu Rodman — were at the meeting. McElynn said he had heard from many community members who expressed alarm about the proposed maps.
“We are particularly on top of the disruption of the historic Gullah community,” he said.
The Beaufort County Democratic Party also expressed concerns over the redistricting process this year.
“Releasing the proposals the day before Thanksgiving and scheduling public hearings with less than one week notice does not allow constituents adequate time to review proposed changes,” the party noted.
Joe Passiment, chairman of the County Council, emphasized that the maps are not final, and the council will take community feedback to heart.
William Smith, school board member for District 3, said he takes it very seriously when the school board and county council do not work together. The school board, which uses the same electoral districts as county council, was not consulted before the maps were released, he and Passiment said.
Smith also showed up at Monday’s public hearing in northern Beaufort County, where members of his district expressed concerns that Black voters would be underrepresented in the new maps due to flaws in the way the 2020 Census was taken.
Passiment suggested changing the 2nd alternative map, which has the lowest deviation.
“I think something can be done so Gullah neighborhoods are maintained as much as possible,” said District 10 County school board member Melvin Campbell. “The more we can do to keep neighborhoods common is not good just for neighborhoods, but better for counties and elected officials to represent the community.”
Elections under the new maps
One county council member and as many as four school board members will be outside their district if one of these proposed maps is approved.
Officials who aren’t up for re-election in 2022 but whose home would be in a new district are allowed to serve the remainder of their term in their new district if there isn’t an incumbent there, with no election needed, according to Beaufort County spokesperson Chris Ophardt.
That would apply to Angela Middleton, the District 6 representative on the school board who would be moved into District 5 under the proposed maps.
If a representative is moved into a district with an incumbent in the middle of their term, they’ll have to run against that incumbent to keep a seat. That applies to Richard Geier, the school board representative for District 5.
Geier’s home would be in District 1 or 4 under the new maps. If he becomes part of District 1, he would be off the school board for two years but could run against incumbent Earl Campbell for the seat in 2024. If his home becomes part of District 4, he could run against incumbent Tricia Fidrych for the seat in 2022.
That also applies to Beaufort County Council member Brian Flewelling, who represents District 5 and would have to run against incumbent Alice Howard in District 4 under the new maps. Flewelling said last week that he’ll know by the beginning of January whether he intends to run for re-election.
This story was originally published December 2, 2021 at 3:14 PM.