Concord’s Redistricting Train Wreck

Tony Schinella provides a fascinating account of an approaching train wreck involving Concord’s redistricting plan.

Two candidates vying for Concord city council ward seats –- Jennifer Kretovic and Kris MacNeil -– are living in areas of the city that will be moved from one ward to another, in the wake of voter approval of the redistricting plan. Kretovic lives in Ward 2 but the plan moves her into Ward 3; MacNeil lives in Ward 3 but the plan moves her into Ward 4.

If approved, the redistricting plan will be implemented on Jan. 1, 2012. New city councilors and the mayor will be sworn in on Jan. 9, 2012. But if the voters approve the redistricting and both candidates win, they will not be seated, according to City Solicitor Jim Kennedy, because they will no longer be residents of the wards they were elected to serve.

City officials admit they have “no idea what to do” to address the issue.

Kretovic stated that at first, it was suggested to her that she run in Ward 3. Later, she was told she could only run in Ward 2, because that is where she lives now. Then, she was told “the unthinkable — that I shouldn’t bother running at all because I would never be able to serve in either Ward.”