In a single-member district, an individual is elected to represent the constituents of a specific area within the district. At-large trustees are elected to represent the district as a whole, according to the Texas Secretary of State.
Zooming in
The board established a redistricting committee of private citizens and hosted multiple public hearings throughout the process. A map was presented at the public hearing that represents what the district lines for each board member would be based off of the elementary school zones, which would give each trustee its own district.
“Single-member districts give people an opportunity to go vote for someone that might live in your neighborhood, that might have been brought up in your neighborhood,” said Guadalupe Carbajal, a representative of the San Marcos American GI Forum. “You'd know that you can contact [and] you feel comfortable going to a meeting to discuss things about your child.”
Another viewpoint
John McGlothlin, former SMCISD at-large trustee and member of the redistricting committee, said that he thinks the board should vote to keep the two at-large trustees because it encourages voter turnout and has worked well for the district.
“We were tasked on the committee with creating a plan that was seven single-member districts, but you've never decided that was best for the school district,” McGlothlin said.
The board will vote on if they will adopt the proposed seven-member districts at their next regular meeting Dec. 4. More information on the redistricting committee can be found here.
