STATEHOUSE (Jan. 11, 2010) - Members of the Senate Committee on Elections today took the first step toward redistricting reform in Indiana by approving legislation establishing in law, objective guidelines the state would follow in creating legislative boundaries after the 2010 census.

"We are trying to establish guidelines because there has been little direction in either the Indiana law or the Indiana Constitution regarding redistricting," said Sen. Sue Landske (R-Cedar Lake), co-author of the legislation. "Hopefully, fellow lawmakers will find these new objective principles helpful as we are constructing new legislative districts next session."

Landske said Senate Bill 80 will provide lawmakers with the following guidelines to keep in mind
when drawing legislative districts in the future:

• Preservation of traditional neighborhoods;
• Preservation of local communities of interests;
• Protection of minority voting rights;
• Simply-shaped, compact districts; and
• Respect for county and precinct lines.

Senate Republicans recently unveiled a package of sweeping redistricting reforms that included the new guidelines, an in-depth bipartisan study of best practices of other states and the establishment of an independent commission to draw both state and federal districts in Indiana.

Senate Bill 80 passed the committee by a vote of 6-2 and now moves to the full Senate for further consideration.

Sen. Landske represents Senate District 6, which includes Benton, Lake, Newton and Porter counties.

Audio Clip

-30-

« Back to News Release List

Link to this event: