Not everyone on the committee to create new county legislative districts believes the group will meet its May 1 deadline.

The Reapportionment Commission met Monday in Mayville. At that meeting they were shown the software they can use to draw district lines. They were also given links and accounts so they can use the software on their own to draw lines and to share with one another if they so chose.

Members on the committee include Sue Evans, designated by the county League of Women Voters; Kevin Sixbey, designated by the county Chamber of Commerce; County Legislators Terry Niebel, R-Sheridan and Bob Bankowski, D-Dunkirk; and four citizen members: Randy Elf, Greg Rabb, Larry Wilcox and Sandra Lewis. Everyone was in attendance Monday except for Sixbey, who attended virtually.

The software was designed so that members can draw 17 districts or 19 districts. Bankoski said previously that the Democrats are proposing to have 17 districts while Niebel said Republicans prefer 19, which is the current size.

During the meeting, county attorney Stephen Abdella provided members information regarding minority districts in regards to voting act tests. He said the commission should see if the boundaries divide a concentrated minority population into multiple districts. If so, those divisions could be seen as a red flag.

“If you went in and saw that you had a particular map with two districts 25 or 30% apiece and that was the result of a splitting of a geographical area where this minority resided, and if you found you could draw the lines in a different manner, that minority could now constitute 50 or 60% of a single district,” he said, giving an example.

Members said the only place in the county that could be an issue is in Dunkirk, where it may be possible, depending on population, the Hispanic community could have the majority in one district. They said it’s unlikely Jamestown has any neighborhoods like that, although they said they will look at that as they use the software to draw the new lines.

When the commission was formed by the county Legislature, the resolution stated that the new district map would be due back to the legislature by May 1. With Monday being the first time committee members had the software, many said they wanted time to draw out potential districts and share with one another before voting on them. They said they would continue to be meeting throughout April, however, some members expressed conflicts due to work or vacation. It did not appear all committee members will be available to meet until the end of the month.

After the meeting, Niebel was asked if he thinks the commission would be ready to have a proposed map. He said he thinks Republicans will, but he isn’t sure about the Democrats.

Bankoski was asked if he thought the Democrats would be ready by May 1 with a proposed map, to which he replied, “probably not.” He did add that he believes they can have a map ready by early May, but felt that the May 1 deadline would be difficult.

Abdella said ideally the commission should try to meet the May 1 deadline, but it won’t be disbanded if they don’t finish by that date.

Bankoski has previously said the Democrats will submit their own map if the Republicans on the commission don’t reduce the legislature size by two members.