Carchman sets February 8 deadline for legislative maps, says he’ll seek public input before vote

Philip J. Carchman, the court-appointed tiebreaker on the New Jersey Apportionment Commission that is redrawing legislative districts, has told Democrats and Republicans that he will make map submissions available to the public starting on February 8.

Carchman told the two parties that he intends to seek public comment on proposed maps, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed.

The process outlined by the former appellate court judge contrasts one used by congressional redistricting tiebreaker John E. Wallace, Jr., who did not share submissions between the two parties and didn’t make the final maps available to the public until after he decided which one he would support.

It appears to be Carchman’s intent that there be a public discussion of proposals, obviating one of the major complaints of Wallace’s handling of the redrawing of New Jersey congressional districts.

The deadline for the apportionment commission to certify a map of the state’s 40 legislative districts is March 1.