By now, most people know the district lines of Dallas County voters have changed. As Probate Judge Kim Ballard said at Monday’s Dallas County Commission meeting, there have been some pretty significant shifts.

During the meeting, some of the commissioners expressed concern over how quickly they would know if the Justice Department had approved the county’s proposed plan.

While there is no timeline, they were assured the information will be available well in advance of the 2012 election.

We know the lines will change. We know the proposed lines from the Dallas County Commission will likely be adopted. We know elections are coming up in the not-too-distant future. So with this in mind, there is no excuse to complain when elections approach that we do not know what district we fall into.

The shifting of district lines is frustrating. No one likes change, but we must adapt. It is your responsibility to determine your district.

The Commission has maps on display and Ballard said they are willing to help anyone that might be confused by the change.

In short, if you don’t know your district by the time the elections roll around, you have no one to blame but yourself.

It is our responsibility as voters to  arm ourselves with the necessary information to make an informed decision. Sometimes, when changes take place, doing so can be a little harder than others. With public hearings, newspaper articles and numerous appeals to the public to take a look at the lines and provide input, the Commission has fulfilled its obligation to the voters.

Now it is up to the voters to fulfill their obligation and do a little homework before heading to the polls. With a little preparation, the changes in district lines can be a smooth transition for everyone. Let’s all do our part to get ready.