HomeMy WebLinkAboutLegislative Redistricting MemoHouse Committee on Redistricting
Rep. Chris Garrett, Co -Chair
Rep. Shawn Lindsay, Co -Chair
Rcp. Kevin Cameron, Co -Vice -Chair
Rep. Tobias Read, Co -Vice -Chair
Rep. Sal Esquivel
Rep. Paul Holvey
76th LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
I-IOUSE and SENATE COMMITTEES ON REDISTRICTING
http://www.leg.state.or.us/redistricting/
Contact: Erin Seiler, Redistricting Coordinator
Rm 453-D, Committee Services, Oregon State Capitol
Salem, Oregon 97301
(503) 986-1647
Senate Committee on Redistricting
Sen. Suzanne Bonamici, Chair
Sen. Chris Telfer, Vice -Chair
Sen. Jason Atkinson
Sen. Lee Beyer
Sen. Floyd Prozanski
Sen. Bruce Starr
Thank you for participating in legislative redistricting for 2011! Your comments are vital to the success
of our effort to redraw Congressional and state legislative districts that will be in effect for the next 10 years.
There are a few rules of the road in Oregon law to guide us in redrawing district lines. The Legislature
must draw districts of relatively equal population: new state House districts should have approximately 63,851
people and new state Senate districts should have approximately 127,702 people and encompass two state
House districts. In addition, the 2nd Congressional District should have a target population of 766,215.
With this in mind, some changes must be made to the Central Oregon House and Senate districts.
Populations in House Districts 53, 54, and 55 are above the target population, while House District 59 is now
less than the goal of 63,851 per district. Likewise, state Senate District 27 is above the target population while
Senate Districts 28 and 30 are less than the goal of 127,702. The new population in Congressional District 2 is
769,987, which is 3,772 people above the goal of 766,215. We need your comments on how to adjust all
districts in order to meet the population goal.
Here are some broad questions that we hope will help you think about the redistricting process and what it can
mean to your community:
Communities of Interest and Political Boundaries
• What unincorporated areas constitute unified communities?
• What other cities and towns are those .,ommunities associated with? For example, where do residents of
a community go to work, go to school, go to shop, or go to worship?
• Where are school district lines? Is there a strong community around high schools, middle schools, or
elementary schools?
• Where are the economic and industrial communities?
• What are the ethnic and racial groups in the area?
• What other communities of interest are in the area?
Geographic Boundaries
• What geographical features divide communities?
• What geographical features unite communities?
• What geographical features contribute to or effect communities in some way?
Transportation
• What roads tie the community together?
• What roads connect the community to the rest of the state?
• What roads divide the area?
• What other links should be considered? For example, is there a bridge or a ferry that connects the
community?
Thank you again for your participation in this process. Your input is valuable to us and we look forward to
hearing from you soon.
REDISTRICTING IN OREGON—SOME SIMPLE FACTS
GUIDELINES:
The Legislature must follow guidelines outlined in the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS). The ORS provides
some specific criteria that must be considered when redrawing legislative and congressional districts. ORS
188.010 states that:
The Legislative Assembly or the Secretary of State, whichever is applicable, shall consider the
following criteria when apportioning the state into congressional and legislative districts:
(1) Each district, as nearly as practicable, shall:
(a) Be contiguous,
(b) Be of equal population;
(c) Utilize existing geographic or political boundaries,
(d) Not divide communities of common interest; and
(e) Be connected by transportation links.
(2) No district shall be drawn for the purpose of favoring any political party, incumbent
legislator or other person.
(3) No district shall be drawn for the purpose of diluting the voting strength of any language
or ethnic minority group.
(4) Two state House of Representative districts shall be wholly included within a single state
senatorial district.
TIMELINES:
The deadline for completion of a legislative redistricting plan by the Legislative Assembly is June 30,
2011. Congressional redistricting has no specific deadline for completion.
POPULATION:
Location
Population—April 1,
Population—April 1,
% Growth Since
2000
2010
2000
Oregon
3,421,399
3,831,074
12%
TOTAL POPULATION GOALS FOR DISTRICTS:
House District: 63,851 * Senate District: 127,702 * Congressional District: 766,215
CENTRAL OREGON DISTRICTS AND DEVIATIONS FROM TARGET
Senate District.,
26
Deviation
-1,561
House District
52
Deviation
-610
Congressional
District
2
+3.772
27
+27,888
53
+9,930
28
-1,842
54
+17,958
30
-11,789
55
+2,778
59
+-3,396
Hood River
CID
es
0
0