Wednesday, Feb 16 2011 5:56PM
Redistricting Alaskan communities may lead to a change in state representation.
At a recent Native Issues Forum some leading members of the Alaskan Federation of Natives (AFN) took the podium to discuss issues such as redistricting that are affecting both Native and rural communities in the state, reported the Juneau Empire.
State Senator Albert Kookesh, who serves as a co-chair of the AFN, said redistricting could harm rural areas because it may restructure legislative districts, changing their elected representation and effecting community leadership development. For instance, he said losing even six legislature members from outlying areas could lead to a loss of diversity in government and remove Alaskan Natives from leadership positions.
"It's a really important subject to those of us who are in the legislature and has to be an important subject to those of you who are in the areas that we represent," he said at the meeting, according to the newspaper.
Kookesh added that estimates indicate his own district may drop from 14,000 to 12,500 due to population movements, putting it in danger of being completely eliminated.
The state's overall population is also growing. The 2010 census numbers show that Alaska's population has increased by 13.3 percent to 710,231, which may allow the state to create another congressional seat.