A committee comprising several members of Bedford County Commission, Bedford County School Board and Shelbyville City Council met with Bedford County Administrator of Elections Summer Leverette and a representative of Tennessee’s County Technical Advisory Service (CTAS) on Tuesday afternoon to draw up new voting districts for the next decade.  

Redistricting is required by law after each U.S. Census. The finished map, which can still be changed if desired, will go before government bodies during October.  

The County Commission’s Rules Committee will vote on the plan in October, with the full commission taking a final vote at its November meeting.  

“You guys were great to work with,” CTAS representative Melisa Kelton said. “You were on your best behavior!”  

Members of the joint committee worked quickly, taking little more than an hour from start to finish. A computerized map showing voting districts and the population within each one, was changed frequently by Kelton as the group attempted to equalize the districts as much as possible.  

Most discussion centered around keeping as many voters in districts they were accustomed to while meeting the state required standard of a population variance of no more than 5 percent between districts. Much attention was paid to the areas in northeastern Bedford County between U.S. 231 North and Coop Road west of Bell Buckle.  Attempts were made countywide to avoid splitting subdivisions.  

The proposed plan will not consider inmates in Bedford County Jail as part of District 8, where the facility is located. Those inmates will have voting rights in their home districts.

The county will retain nine voting districts with 18 commissioners