From the state legislative level to local governing boards, procrastination must be an unwritten part of the redistricting process.

     Brookhaven aldermen’s activities in drawing new ward lines for the city have proven no exception to the rule.

     The board last Tuesday gave its final blessing to a new ward line map, which leaders hope will be approved in time for next year’s city elections. Qualifying for those ward contests starts in January.

     To be ready, though, the ward map must win preclearance by the U.S. Department of Justice. That is needed because of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

     City Attorney Joe Fernald hoped to have the city’s submission to Washington either late last week or early this week. With a 60-day window for review, DOJ preclearance of Brookhaven’s plan may not come until mid-December – mere days before qualifying can start.

     “We’re cutting it close,” Fernald said in an understatement of the city’s situation.

     Federal reviewers could ask for and get another 60 days if they seek additional information. And outright rejection, although unlikely given the city’s efforts toward maintaining minority-majority wards, would be a major wrench in the works.

     Either a request for more time or rejection would cast a dark shadow of uncertainty over the 2013 election plans. Running under current lines could be a possibility, but costly legal challenges could ensue.

     All this uncertainty seems to be have been a bit unnecessary. Perhaps it was not procrastination but politics that put the city in its potential predicament.

     Aldermen first heard about the need for redistricting during budget discussions in August 2011.

     At the time, Mayor Les Bumgarner warned aldermen they would need to work together for the good of the city.

     “There’s not going to be anyone happy when we’re done,” he said. “There’s going to have to be a tremendous amount of give and take. There’s going to be some areas people don’t want to take in, and areas people don’t want to give up.”

     Aldermen saw a first draft of a redistricting proposal in March. Discussions, which were sometimes tense, went on into April, when aldermen seemingly had agreed on a new plan.

     Then the brakes were applied unexpectedly, and redistricting talk found its way to the back burner of board discussions. Ward line considerations simmered until August, when issues over how high the minority percentages in some of the city’s wards would be had to be resolved.

     The plan aldermen finally approved just last week maintains four majority black wards, although opponents contend minority percentages should be higher. Those opponents aired their concerns at a September public hearing, but a majority of the board maintained their support for the plan that is now ready for submission.

     Whether any of the aldermen are truly happy with the plan is unknown, but the important thing now is for everyone to support the approved plan and do everything they can to ensure federal approval.

     Having timely elections and avoiding costly roadblocks would indeed be good for the city.