Senate Republicans and Democrats released their plans for redrawing Senate and Executive Council maps last week. As expected, the parties disagree about how voting districts should look for the next decade.
An initial independent review of the maps by Open Democracy, a nonpartisan nonprofit, found the Republican proposals for Senate districts were “atrocious,” worse than they were in 2010, the last time voting districts were redrawn. Redistricting happens every 10 years, when new U.S. census data is released. The Republican proposal for Senate District 9 stretches from Hinsdale to Bedford in a long line, while Senate District 5 encompasses both Plymouth and Hanover.
The Republican proposal for the Executive Council keeps the districts as currently drawn, including dragon-shaped District 2. The Democratic proposal would break up District 2, which has long been held up as an example of gerrymandering — it stretches from one side of the state to the other — “packing” Democratic-leaning municipalities into the same district. That, in turn, makes the surrounding districts more solidly Republican and less competitive.
“It’s widely known as a gerrymandered map,” said Brian Beihl, deputy director of Open Democracy, who said the decision to preserve it was puzzling, in light of Gov. Chris Sununu’s acknowledgment that District 2 is gerrymandered. “He acknowledges that it’s gerrymandered, but nobody seems to care about that anymore,” Beihl said.
Open Democracy expects to complete its analysis of both the Republican and Democratic maps by Thursday. A hearing will be held in Representatives Hall at the State House on Jan. 10 from 1 to 4 p.m. so members of the public can comment on the draft maps. Comments may also be submitted to senate.redistricting@leg.state.nh.us.