Democratic Panel To Discuss Redistricting

A panel of Democrats working on Nassau County's contentious redistricting process is holding a public meeting Wednesday for Oyster Bay residents to discuss the issue.

Democratic members of the Nassau County Temporary Districting Advisory Commission will conduct the meeting in Plainview at 5 p.m. at the on Manetto Hill Road at Washington Avenue. The meeting is designed to address redistricting issues relating to Oyster Bay town residents.

A similar meeting was held by the Democrats on Monday in the Town of Hempstead. Another is planned for the Town of North Hempstead.

The five Democratic members are presenting their side of the redistricting argument, a battle that was temporarily decided last July by a state Supreme Court judge.

Justice Steve Jaeger ruled that a . Jaeger said the county Legislature was not in compliance with two of three parts of the county charter pertaining to redistricting. The earliest the map can be used, the judge said, is in 2013.

The 11-member advisory board was empanelled to attempt to reach a compromise solution. The Democrats, saying Republicans are now limiting discussion on the issue, are taking their case to the public and attempting to redraw the lines in a “fair and balanced” manner, a spokeswoman for the Democrats said. 

The panel will be available to answer any questions from the public Wednesday night.