CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Kanawha County officials are still waiting for information from the state to begin its redistricting efforts.
Kanawha County Commissioner Lance Wheeler said during Thursday’s commission meeting that county officials only have information regarding the approved House of Delegates districts. The state Senate approved its legislative map on Wednesday, but the chamber has not sent related information to the local body.
Local precincts have to match up with Senate and House of Delegates districts.
“We have requested for the Senate map file, and we have not heard back as of this afternoon,” Wheeler said. “We are still waiting on the Senate map.”
Wheeler said officials cannot work on precincts with the new House of Delegates map until the county receives the Senate map.
“We’re running on a deadline,” he said. “We were told from the Senate that they would be ready by the 17th with a map file, and here we are … way past the 17th.”
The city of Charleston is also working on its wards. According to county attorney Marc Slotnick, those new maps are expected to be ready by Nov. 15.
“Just get ready to have a special meeting on this,” Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper told commission staff.
“When it’s all said and done, they’re going to drop this on here, we won’t have a meeting set, and we’re going to be scrambling around [figuring out] what to do,” he added regarding the Senate.
County officials have begun researching the next steps, but Wheeler noted no actions can take place until state officials send the approved Senate map.