Between 2010 and 2020 Clarksdale saw its population decline from 17,962 to 14,903 according to official U.S. Census numbers handed to the Mayor and Board of Commissioners last week.
That decline has also changed the makeup of neighborhoods in Clarksdale and will also change the ward lines of city commissioners, as the community begins the process of redistricting.
Mike Slaughter, an urban planning consultant, said it appears changes in ward lines will affect Ward 1 and Ward 2, with Ward 3 and Ward 4 expected to remain close to the same.
“Change is needed in Ward 1 and Ward 2 to provide for 10-percent or less deviation among districts,” said Slaughter. “According to census numbers, Ward 1 is 10.4-percent over and Ward 2 is 8.8-percent under.”
Slaughter estimated the change will affect about 200 voters in Wards 1 and 2. He pointed out Ward 1 is 389 over the ideal population and Ward 2 is 327 under the ideal population.
Bo Plunk is Ward 1 Commissioner, Ken Murphey is Ward 2 Commissioner, Willie Turner is Ward 3 Commissioner and Ed Seals is Ward 4 Commissioner. Mayor Chuck Espy is elected from the city at large.
The U.S. Constitution requires equal distribution of the total population of any federal, state or local voting district. The legal term is ‘one man/one vote’ which prevents gerrymandering or creating districts that favor a select area, demographic or race.
Slaughter said redistricting is typically needed following a census that reveals changes in population. He said redistricting is also typically needed after annexation. Clarksdale has seen both.
The 2010 Census numbers for Clarksdale were:
• Black - 14,184 or 79-percent.
• White - 3,496 or 19.5-percent
• Other - 282 or 1.6-percent.
The 2020 Census numbers for Clarksdale were:
• Black - 12,199 or 81.9-percent.
• White - 2,170 or 14.6-percent
• Other - 534 or 3.6-percent.
Breakdowns by ward using 2020 numbers were:
• Ward 1 - 71.1-percent Black, 24-percent White, 5-percent Other.
• Ward 2 - 68.7-percent Black, 26.8-percent White, 4.5-percent Other.
• Ward 3 - 89.5-percent Black, 6.1-percent White, 2.7-percent Other.
• Ward 4 - 96.5-percent Black, 1.4-percent White, 2.1-percent Other.
Clarksdale has a voting age population of 10,938 with 3,965 under the age of 18.
Commissioners said they wanted Slaughter to bring them a proposal and let them “tweak it.”
Slaughter said that process usually involves a meeting where lines are redrawn using a computer that figures race and population numbers as lines are moved.
He said he could have that data available by the end of the month. Slaughter said all meetings would be open to the public and a public hearing is required before the city’s redistricting plan becomes official.
