The headline above is a number to remember in 2011 as Iowa legislators consider a new map for the four congressional districts which will be in Iowa. According to the 2010 Census, the average member of the U.S. House district will represent 710,767 people.
In Iowa, the congressional district maps — and the state legislative districts within those congressional districts — are drawn by the Legislative Services Agency. The L.S.A. first plan must be released by April 1, 2011. The Iowa House and Senate may either accept it or reject it as no amendments are allowed (unless the amendment is of a “corrective” nature, which means fixing a misspelling or something like that).
If the Iowa legislature rejects Plan #1, the L.S.A. draws up a different set of maps and submits Plan #2 to the legislature. The Iowa House and Senate may either accept that second one, or reject it (again, no amendments to Plan #2). If the Iowa legislature rejects Plan #2, they can start amending Plan #3, etc.
If the Legislature fails to endorse a new district plan by September 1 — then the Iowa Supreme Court writes the plan.
The Legislative Services Agency has all sorts of information about redistricting/reapportionment, including a recap of 2001 when legislators rejected Plan #1.
About O.Kay Henderson
Kay is a founding member of the Radio Iowa network newsroom. In 1994, she became the network’s news director. She’s a featured reporter and commentator on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press,” and the 2002 recipient of the Shelley Award.
That was a great headline. It made me look.