All elected offices in Griffith are open in 2023. Now, coming changes to the town’s ward map could have implications in the races for Town Council and Clerk-Treasurer.
Griffith’s five wards could shift their boundaries, based on the population density of each district, as calculated by the 2020 U.S. Census. Town Council President Rick Ryfa, R-3rd, said he didn’t expect major shifts in the ward boundaries, although he said his own Ward 3 to lose a couple of blocks. He put the town’s average ward population at 3,000-3,300 people.
It’s not yet known what the new ward map will look like, but the Town Council is preparing to formally accept the federally mandated re-drawn boundaries, in accordance with U.S. Census requirements. An ordinance to that effect is up for first reading at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting. Unlike Congressional districts, local municipalities are not subject to legislative (or political) preferences, and thus any implications over gerrymandering.
As for Griffith’s population, it dropped slightly over a 10-year period between censuses. The 2010 U.S. Census had Griffith at 16,893 residents. Basically unchanged, the 2020 figure was 16,528. Griffith’s “population estimate” for June 2021 lowers to 16,331, an apparent reflection of static residential growth and an aging population.
U.S. Census figures underlie a drop in the Griffith Public Schools population — about 300 less students since 2020, according to Superintendent Leah Dumezich. In fact, Griffith has closed two of its four elementary schools in recent years.
As of 2020, across 6,791 households, only 8.4% of Griffith’s population was under age five and 19.4% were under 18, according to U.S. Census figures.
Next year, Griffith residents will learn whether population trends, active voters and redrawn ward boundaries will have any impact on who residents choose as their elected officials. Currently, all Griffith office holders are Republicans, but there are strong indications of primary challengers this time around. As for Democrats, Griffith hasn’t elected one since Stan Dobosz in 2015.
Griffith elections are conducted at-large. Each office is chosen by the entire town.
Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
