§ 14-43-311 - Redistricting of wards. - Arkansas Statutes

14-43-311. Redistricting of wards.

(a) (1) (A) City councils in cities of the first class shall have the authority to redistrict the wards in their city when they determine that the people can best be served by adding wards, combining wards, or changing ward boundary lines to equalize the population in the various wards.

(B) It shall be the duty of the council to see that each ward has as nearly an equal population as would best serve the interest of the people of the city.

(2) (A) Within ninety (90) days after redistricting, if one hundred (100) or more qualified electors in the city are dissatisfied with the redistricting of the city into wards, they shall have the authority to petition the circuit court.

(B) The court, after due hearing, shall have authority to redistrict the city into such wards as the court shall deem best if the court finds that the redistricting action by the council was arbitrary and capricious.

(b) At the next city election held, more than twenty (20) days after the approval of redistricted wards, there shall be elected from each of the new wards two (2) aldermen who shall organize the new city council at the first council meeting in January after their election.

(c) (1) (A) All aldermen elected in the city prior to redistricting of wards shall give up their positions to the new aldermen at the time for the organization of the new council, as provided in subsection (b) of this section.

(B) From that date the terms of office of all previously elected aldermen shall cease and terminate.

(2) (A) It shall be lawful to increase the number of wards or continue the same number of wards without affecting the terms of office of incumbent aldermen of the city.

(B) (i) When the wards are reapportioned so as to increase the number of wards or readjust existing wards so that such wards contain nearly equal population, the aldermen who remain in their old ward, or part thereof, shall continue in office.

(ii) New aldermen shall be elected only for new wards actually formed out of the territory of old wards.

(d) (1) All clerk's costs and other costs incurred in the proceedings authorized in this section shall be paid by the persons at whose instance the services were rendered.

(2) (A) In case these proceedings result in the redistricting of the city into new wards, the compensation of those individuals making the redistricting shall be fixed by the circuit judge, certified to the city council, and paid out of the city treasury.

(B) This compensation shall not exceed the sum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) each.