Hempstead residents called for the town to not separate communities of color and for a more transparent redistricting process during a public hearing with Hempstead’s temporary redistricting commission.

The Tuesday morning meeting followed a protest outside town hall where members of the public demanded the redistricting commission to hold more hearings and create two additional majority-minority districts, for a total of three. 

Every 10 years, the town participates in the redistricting process to revise districts to ensure none contain a substantially disproportionate difference in the voter population compared to other districts.

Hempstead’s town board is currently made up of five Republican council members, Democrat Dorothy Goosby and Republican Supervisor Don Clavin. 

The white, non-Hispanic or Latino population makes up 52.4% of Hempstead, according to the U.S. Census. However, five of the six councilmanic districts are majority white while 47% of the town are people of color. 

“My communities Elmont and Valley Stream have been separated by all levels of redistricting for the last 10 years,” said Mimi Pierre Johnson of the Elmont Cultural Center. “It is a systematic way of stopping us from growing. Black and brown people have fought for every little thing that should come naturally in government.”

This redistricting process is the first time in the town’s 378-year history the board chose to use an independent commission, which is comprised of three people that were appointed unanimously. 

Gary Hudes, a former Republican councilman for the 6th district, chairs the commission, and sits alongside Albert D’Agostino, a Republican, and Dorothy Brazley, a Democrat.

There were also additional calls to maintain the areas of Baldwin, a hamlet, Uniondale and Elmont within one district.

Other residents commented that the town could be doing more to promote information about redistricting both online and via mail.

“It truly is packing and cracking, it is no different than other parts of the country,” said Janet Poretsky, of Baldwin.

Town Attorney John Maccarone said that before the new year, he expects will be proposals drawn by consultants from Schenectady-based Skyline Consulting, a political data firm.

The consultants after Tuesday will take feedback from the residents and data from the town to form the proposals with the assistance and direction of the commission, Maccarone said. 

Hearings to comment on the new maps will be held in January.

“We are endeavoring to be as transparent and fair as possible,” Maccarone said. “And to comply with both the federal and state statutes with regard to redistricting.”