A committee redrawing legislative districts will not allow the public to use taxpayer-funded redistricting software.
That means the public lacks a key tool to propose alternative district boundaries.
Some legislators say that’s because of a shortened time frame to consider the maps.
By constitutional requirement, the state has to redraw its maps every decade following the census. This year, the redistricting group has just over two months to draw 35 legislative district maps.
Republican State Senator Jim Bolin sat on the redistricting committee in 2011. He says last time the group had about seven months to redraw boundaries.
He voted in favor of limiting the software to legislator use.
“There has to be—just in practical terms—a limit on the number of maps that we can consider and the number of maps the LRC staff can be involved with,” Bolin says. “I think the time frame, which is not of our doing, it’s because of census bureau and COVID and all those things. Just from a practical standpoint, there has to be some limitation there.”
The proposal passed 10 to three.
However, it’s that shortened time frame why some on the committee think the software should be available to the public.
Democratic Representative Ryan Cwach voted against the proposal. He says if the legislature can invite the public into the process it should do that.
“With technology being as advanced as it is, and this software being as powerful as it is, you know we really do have the ability not only just to take testimony from people, but also for people to submit what they think would be a good and fair district for them or their community,” Cwach says.
Last year, the legislature appropriated $75,000 to purchase redistricting software.
The Republican-controlled redistricting committee is looking at free public-domain software that allows the public to draw its own legislative maps and submit them.