19-204.   Rearrangement of commissioner districts;change in number ofdistricts; approval of electors; limitation on changes; charter counties,exception.(a) Subject to the provisions of K.S.A. 2009 Supp. 19-204b, and amendmentsthereto, andsubject to the provisions of K.S.A. 19-204a, and amendments thereto,theboard of countycommissioners, on the day of theorganization of the board or as soon thereafter as may be possible, shallmeetand divide the county into three commissioner districts or suchnumber of districts as is prescribed by resolution of the board, ascompact and equal in population as possible, and number them. Suchdistricts shall be subject toalteration at least once every three years.

      (b)   In Shawnee county, each district shall include residents of both theincorporated and unincorporated areas of the county. The number of residents ineach district from the unincorporated area of the county shall be as equal innumber, as possible. Such districts shall be subject to alteration at leastonce every three years.

      If the districts do not meet the requirements of this subsection, thedistricts shall be altered to comply with such requirements no later than 30days following the effective date of this act.

      (c)   The board of county commissioners of any county, byresolution, may divide the county into three, five or sevencommissioner districts, as compact and equal in population as possible,but no such resolution which would effect a change in the number ofcommissioner districts shall take effect until it has been approved by amajority of the qualified electors of the county voting thereon at thenext general electionfollowing not less than 60 days theadoption of such resolution, in which all the qualified electors of thecounty are entitled to vote. Upon the presentation of a petition to theboard of county commissioners, signed by electors equal in number to 5%of the qualified electors of the county and verifiedby the county election officer, requesting that the number ofcommissioner districts be changed, the board of county commissionersshall cause such proposition to be submitted to the voters of the countyat the next general election, following not less than 60 daysthe presentation of such petition, in which all of the qualifiedelectors of the county are entitled to vote. In the event that morethan one such petition is presented to the board of countycommissioners prior to a general election, and any of such petitionsconflicts with any other such petition with respect to the number ofcommissioner districts requested, the board of county commissionersshall decide, by majority vote thereon, which of the propositionsshallbe submitted to the voters at the next such general election. If amajority of the electors voting at such election shall be in favor ofchanging the number of commissioner districts, the board of countycommissioners shall provide for the division of the county intocommissioner districts as provided in K.S.A. 19-204a, and amendmentsthereto.

      (d)   No change in the number of commissioner districts shallbecome effective in any county within four years of the effective date ofany previous change in the number of commissioner districts in suchcounty.

      (e)   The provisions of this section may be modified by theadoption of a charter for county government in any county which has establisheda charter commission pursuant to law.

      History:   L. 1901, ch. 129, § 4; R.S. 1923, 19-204; L. 1975,ch. 153, § 1; L. 1976, ch. 121, § 4; L. 1981, ch. 112, § 1;L. 1992, ch. 38, § 4;L. 1996, ch. 68, § 1;L. 2009, ch. 134, § 6; May 28.