Voting in Windsor on the Line as Redistricting Deadline Looms

Nearly eleven months after Windsor Town Council members unanimously declared the push for a voting district in which Windsor residents are the majority to be atop its list of legislative priorities in 2011, the Connecticut Reapportionment Commission is only hours away from redrawing the state's political map in a way that will give Windsor the best chance to have a resident serve in the Connecticut General Assembly.

The commission is meeting Wednesday afternoon in hopes of coming to a consensus on new lines based on 2010's census.

According to CTNewsJunkie.com, commission members were still discussing "how to draw Senate lines" as of Tuesday night, but finished defining the lines of Connecticut's 151 House districts last week.

While House districts are in place, the commission may not meet the November 30 deadline for all lines to be redrawn, CT News Junkie reported.

"I hope to put all three sections of the plan up for a vote,” House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero told the news site, adding that it may be unrealistic.

Windsor has a lot on the line.

As Connecticut's first town, a Windsor resident was represented in the state legislature from its conception until 2008.

"Now is the first time in 370 years Windsor has no resident representing us in the state legislature," said Deputy Mayor Al Simon at the time of the town council's vote.

If the commission does not come to a decision on Wednesday, it an apply for a 30-day extension. If it fails to come to a decision after the extension, lines will be redrawn by the courts.

If the task of redrawing the map falls into the hands of judges, it's a different ball game, according to Leo Canty, chair of the Windsor Democratic Town Committee.

"The judges look at the spirit and the letter of the law. The politicians look at the politics."

According CT News Junkie, the politics of the matter is what has held things up until now.

The news site reported Tuesday that democrats and republicans were at odds over republicans' changes to the 4th congressional district, which is represented by Representative Jim Himes (D).

The proposed changes would make for a district "no Democrat could win," Looney told CT News Junkie.

While Windsor is in the first district, goals of council members and members of the Republican and Democratic Town Committees are just hoping for a majority in one of its voting districts, particularly considering the town's history and size.

If that doesn't happen because of a commission vote or a judge's decision, some residents are prepared to go to court, Canty said.

"The fact of the matter is there is an injustice taking place in Windsor," he said.

"A town our size, which is more than twice the size of Windsor Locks (they have a state rep.)... 50 percent larger than Bloomfield (they have a state rep.)... Nothing against the state reps. It's nice to have three of them, but it's nicer to have one of them who wakes up in Windsor, knows what the weather is like, knows where the pot holes are, have kids in the schools so they know how the schools are doing and know how many trees fell on the power lines because they've driven around town an awful lot," he added.

Windsor is currently carved into three legislative districts (15, 60 and 61) shared with Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Granby and Suffield.

Similarly, Windsor is divided into two senatorial districts (2 and 7) that are shared with Hartford, Bloomfield, Suffield, Somers, Granby, Enfield, and East Granby.

Windsor is in the minority in each of its voting districts, essentially holding Windsor residents to the mercy of voters in towns with which its districts are shared.

The increased possibility of having a Windsor resident in the state legislature will make a big difference, Canty argued.

"There's a big difference in having someone come from your town. As much everybody wants to discount it, and as much as [State Representatives David Baram, Peggy Sayers and Elaine O'Brien] work real hard to try to serve all needs and be here... it doesn't cut it," he said.

The Reapportionment Commission will hold a vote during its meeting Wednesday.