By Fred Guarino
Fred.guarino@lowndessignal.com

The Lowndes County Commission voted Monday to combine special state senate voting precincts in Lowndes County as the results senate consolidation.

According to Charles Martindale, chairman of the Lowndes County Board of Registrars, redistricting based on the 2010 census, reduced Lowndes County from being represented by two state senate districts to one.

Lowndes County was previously represented by State Sen. Bryan Taylor in District 30 and by State Sen. Hank Sanders in District 23.

Martindale appeared before the commission Monday to make a request for a resolution to combine special voting precincts now that Sanders represents the entire county.

Martindale explained that in the previous redistricting year, Lowndes County had both Districts 23 and 30 and had to carve out separate precincts within those areas within the eastern one third of Lowndes County. “And we do not need those special precincts anymore,” he said.

He explained that in Commission Chairman Robert Harris’ district, in Lowndesboro, Tallawassee Creek was the diving line. West was District 30 (Taylor) and East was District 23 (Sanders).

He said that line divided Commissioner Dickson Farrior’s district in Hayneville and Letohatchee.

And he said Calhoun was divided in Commissioners Joseph Barganier’s and Commissioner Brenson Crenshaw’s districts.

He also said two precincts were missed in the last combination in Barganier’s district.

Martindale said, “It helps the probate judge. He has less ballots to provide in each voting place.” He said for example, if Sanders was up for election previously, there would have to be two ballots in Lowndesboro, one for Sanders and one for those not in Sanders’ district.

A resolution to combine precincts was approved unanimously.

Combined precincts include 2.1 and 2.2 into 2.1; 9.1 and 9.2 into 9.1; 11.1 and 11.2 into 11.1 and 15.1 and 101.1 into precinct 15.1.