A redrawn justice court district map for Warren County should reflect as little change as possible, two incumbent officeholders said Monday.

Alternatives under review by county supervisors keep three districts — the northern, central and southern — but moves voters to the city-based central district from the northern district due to population shifts.

Total moved and where they’re located distinguish the two plans, either of which must be approved by the Department of Justice to comply with federal voting rights laws.

In the first, the central district expands north and east of Interstate 20, picking up everything between Culkin and Stenson roads except for a strip of U.S. 80 between the city limits and Buck Drive. It also picks up territory south of East Clay Sreet/U.S. 80.

In the second option, it expands north of the interstate but also northwest to pick up the Chickasaw, Kings and Ford subdivisions currently in the northern district. Also, the northern district keeps areas east of Mississippi 27 to Mount Alban Road it loses to the central district in the first plan. Overall, the central district gains the most voters and the northern district loses the most voters in the second alternative compared to the first — by 12 percent and nearly 11 percent, respectively.

Comments during the public hearing came from District 1 Election Commissioner Petesy Smith, Northern District Constable Glenn McKay and Chuck Carr, a GIS manager with Central Mississippi Planning and Development District, hired by the board to consult creation of new maps.

Smith and McKay couched support for the second plan in terms of geographic continuity and familiarity amongst officials working in the justice court system. Justice court judges preside over small-claims cases, misdemeanor offenses outside city limits and state traffic offenses. Constables serve the court’s papers in those cases.

“I like Plan B,” Smith said. “At first glance, it requires the least amount of change.”

“Looking at this, I would also be in favor of Plan B,” McKay said, adding his constable district, which dips as far south as Gibson Road, would be nearly cut off from its southernmost zones in the first plan.

Once supervisors choose a plan for justice court and one of two for their own districts, the Justice Department has 60 days to approve it. When supervisors must choose plans for each is less certain, in light of a federal court decision last week to dismiss a case filed by various local NAACP chapters statewide that sought to delay qualifying periods in local races in 10 counties, including Warren. A three-judge panel ruled last week state legislators must run in current districts unless they receive federal preclearance before June 1. The 2012 Legislature would have to drawn new maps if lawmakers opt to wait out the process and hold state House and Senate elections under current maps. Vicksburg’s three state lawmakers have qualified to run this year.

A third map for supervisor districts presented to the board April 26 on behalf of the organization was analyzed by Central Mississippi Planning and Development District, at the direction of the board, Carr said.

A version of the map could not be reproduced on CMPDD’s computers, as it “didn’t have enough detail,” Carr said. Local NAACP president John Shorter told supervisors consultation on the NAACP’s map was from Jackson State University.

“We feel we have two proposals here that are both legitimate plans,” Carr said of the two proposals for new supervisor districts.