Funkhouser Vetoes Redistricting Change

Kansas City, MO – For the second time in as many weeks, Mark Funkhouser has used his veto power - this time on a ballot measure to amend the city charter so council redistricting could possibly wait until after new census ethnic distribution data is released.

The mayor says the the US Constitution mandates that redistricting must be done before the spring city election because Northland districts are underrepresented, and that the city will be found in violation of the constitution if it does not correct that situation.

But representatives of districts south of the river say redistricting without the census data will violate the voting rights act.

Will the veto stand? That depends. The charter amendment passed by exactly the 8 votes it would take to override. If no one switches sides, which seems unlikely and no one is absent at the legislative session, the mayor's veto could be overridden as one was last week.