District 3 likely will lose voters while abutting District 7 is going to gain some when town voting district lines get redrawn in 2014, according to Town Clerk Frances Smith.

Exactly how many of each will come and go hasn’t been decided yet.

The change is mandated according to information in the most recent national census, to ensure that each voting district has an approximately equal number of people. Municipal and state congressional districts are scheduled to change. The state’s deadline is Jan. 1, 2014.

Although the town is allowed more time to set its new ward boundaries, municipal officials are working to get the lines redrawn in synchronization with state congressional districts to avoid confusing constituents.

The first polls to be affected by the new boundaries will be the June 2014 referendums, state and municipal elections.

Unlike gerrymandering — when congressional districts are redrawn due to political chicanery rather than population flux — the new districts are needed to reflect changes in numbers, not necessarily ideologies.

Prior redistricting efforts were based on the numbers of registered voters, Smith said.

“But now it’s based on national census numbers, which can affect the lines because some areas have more people but fewer people of voting age,” she added.

District 3 covers the southwestern part of town from Maquoit Bay west to the Durham town line, south of Greenwood and Durham roads. Its residents are represented by current Town Council Chairwoman Suzan Wilson.

Comparatively, District 7 — a semi-rectangular patch in the middle of downtown from Church Road to Harpswell Road, south of McKeen Street — is much smaller but with a more concentrated populace.

Sarah Brayman, described by her colleagues as “the arts councilor,” represents District 7.

Other districts will require minor “tinkering,” Smith said, but no major changes.

Districts last were modified in 2002. Technology should make the task easier this time, Smith said.

“Back then it was Sharpie markers and rulers, and it took forever. There was a lot of erasing and re-doing things,” she said. “Now the town has (graphic information systems) and computeraided mapping. It should be a lot less work this time.”

Preliminary discussions already have taken place. However, the real work — and calculation — is likely to begin in September, with the goal of having lines redrawn and ready for council approval by year’s end.

For current district voting maps, click here.