FAIRMONT — West Virginia’s Legislature has an important duty this year.

The 2010 Census revealed population shifts that require changes to the state’s legislative and congressional districts. North Central West Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle grew, while the southern coalfields and the Northern Panhandle lost population.

Redistricting is designed to ensure that all voters are as well represented as possible. The question is how to divide the more than 1.8 million West Virginia residents among the 100 members of the state House of Delegates, 34 members of the state Senate and three members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

New lines must be in place before candidates can file to run for seats in 2012.

The state Senate’s bipartisan task force scheduled a dozen meetings around West Virginia that began last month, including a session in Fairmont.

“We have a constitutional duty to uphold one person, one vote,” said state Sen. John Unger, D-Jefferson, majority leader and chairman of the Senate’s task force on redistricting. “We come with an open mind and open ears to hear what you have to say.”

The House isn’t planning a similar series of meetings, but Marion County will be well represented in its redistricting work. House Majority Whip Mike Caputo, D-Marion, has been appointed vice chairman of the newly formed House Select Committee on Redistricting.

“Mike Caputo brings a great deal of experience — including having served on the redistricting committee 10 years ago — and leadership skills to the table, and he knows his region of the state inside and out,” House Speaker Rick Thompson said.

“I am completely confident he will represent his area well and help guide the entire 30-member committee as it takes on this complex process.”

The committee’s first meeting will be scheduled to coincide with the Legislature’s next interim meetings, which take place June 13-15.

The committee will meet regularly throughout the summer, and the final recommendations will be considered by the full House during a special session later this year.

“I am truly honored by this appointment and am humbled by this committee’s responsibilities,” Caputo said. “This process calls for detailed analysis and deliberation and will require close collaboration with both state and local officials, as well as input from the public.

“It is going to take a lot of work, but I look forward to the challenge.”

Caputo said there would be no major changes in Marion County’s House or Senate delegations because the county’s population is virtually the same as it was 10 years ago. However, Caputo said, there would be “some tweaking.”

In an ideal world, Marion County would not be tied into nearby counties for representation.

Delegates Tim Manchin, Linda Longstreth and Caputo, all Democrats, represent much of Marion County. However, White Hall and Bunner Ridge are represented by delegates from different districts.

State Sens. Bob Beach and Roman Prezioso, both D-13th, represent much of Marion and Monongalia counties. Though state Sen. Jeff Kessler, D-2nd, lives in Marshall County, he represents a portion of the western end of Marion County.

Much of the discussion during the redistricting process has centered around the concept of 100 single-member districts for the state House of Delegates.

The reapportionment that followed the 2000 Census distributed House seats among 58 districts. Thirty-six districts are single-member. Another 11 hold two seats each. Of the remaining 11 multi-delegate districts, the largest represents much of Kanawha County and contains seven seats.

Supporters of 100 districts include House Minority Leader Tim Armstead. Now representing a three-member district, the Kanawha County Republican said the benefits include more responsive lawmakers and less expensive elections every two years.

“Delegates are more likely to live in the communities in which the people they represent live,” Armstead said. “They’ll see them at the grocery store and at church and schools.”

Caputo, however, said few people are advocating single-member districts.

“I don’t hear a lot across the state, quite frankly, about single-delegate districts except from those on the extreme right,” Caputo said. “That’s OK. They have a right to that opinion. The tea party has been advocating that all along. But most of the people I’ve talked to, most of the people that spoke from Marion County, are very happy with their representation.”

Why not put the single-member-districts issue on the ballot for the Oct. 4 gubernatorial election? Then people would have their say — the stated goal of the entire redistricting process.