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RALEIGH - This year the Wake County School Board must redraw its district lines in accordance with 2010 census numbers. The Republican-controlled school board has hired a private attorney with ties to the GOP to redraw the lines.

While that project is underway, the League of Women Voters of Wake County and the Great Schools in Wake Coalition are holding a series of open houses to answer questions about the federally required redistricting process and what impact it could have on Wake County voters.

The first one was Monday night at Grace AME Zion Church in Raleigh. Organizers gathered around color-coded maps with push pins representing district lines. There were also handout packets of each district, complete with detailed census statistics.

It's a lot for folks to take it, but it all plays a critical role in how Wake County residents will vote for the school board in November.

“It's a difficult task, but we also want it to be a fair task,” said Dr. Alice Garrett, a longtime Southeast Raleigh resident.

“We have several handouts where people can have an idea of what we think fair districts look like so when the final public hearing comes, everyone has a much better idea,” explained Betty Ellerbee, with the League of Women Voters.

In order to balance the school board districts to reflect the new census population numbers, some district lines will have to be moved, but the new lines should accurately reflect the community and should not be drawn to give any political party an advantage.

The Wake County School Board plans to approve new district lines by June 24. There will be a public hearing, but the school board hasn't set a date yet.

The League of Women Voters and Great Schools in Wake Coalition will have two more open house informational meetings about redistricting. The next one is Tuesday evening at the Eva Perry Library in Apex.

There's another one next Tuesday, April 19, at the Cameron Village Library in Raleigh. Officials will be available to answer questions anytime from 4 - 7 p.m.