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2018 State Ballots Could Seek Revised Redistricting Criteria

A look at proposed redistricting initiatives that have been approved to appear on statewide ballots this year or for which supporters have collected signatures in an attempt to qualify them. Other proposals are earlier in the initiative process.

By The Associated Press

(AP) - A look at proposed redistricting initiatives that have been approved to appear on statewide ballots this year or for which supporters have collected signatures in an attempt to qualify them. Other proposals are earlier in the initiative process.

OHIO

Issue: Proposed constitutional amendment on May 8 ballot affecting congressional redistricting.

Status quo: Congress: 12 Republicans, four Democrats.

Current process: State Legislature passes a redistricting plan by a majority vote, subject to a gubernatorial veto.

Proposed process: State Legislature passes a redistricting plan by a three-fifths majority with support of at least half the members of the majority and minority parties, subject to a gubernatorial veto. If that fails, districts are drawn by a seven-member commission composed of two majority and two minority party lawmakers, the governor, auditor and secretary of state; approval requires four votes, including two each from majority and minority party commissioners. If that fails, the Legislature may pass a plan by a three-fifths vote with the support of at least one-third of the majority and minority party members, subject to a gubernatorial veto. If that fails, the Legislature may pass a plan by a majority subject to a gubernatorial veto, but it would remain in effect for only four years instead of 10.

Proposed Criteria: Districts must protect racial minority voting rights, be compact and contiguous and limit the number of counties and cities that are split among multiple districts.

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MICHIGAN

Issue: Petition signatures submitted for a proposed constitutional amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot affecting congressional and state legislative redistricting.

Status quo: Congress: nine Republicans, four Democrats, one vacancy. State Senate: 27 Republicans, 11 Democrats. State House: 63 Republicans, 47 Democrats.

Current process: State Legislature passes redistricting plans by a majority vote, subject to a gubernatorial veto.

Proposed process: Districts would be drawn by a 13-member citizens' commission, composed of four Democrats, four Republicans and five independents randomly selected by the secretary of state from among applicants. Approval of districts would require a majority vote with support of at least two Democrats, two Republicans and two independents. If that fails, each commissioner would submit a plan and rank their options by preference, with the highest-ranked plan prevailing. In case of a tie, the secretary of state would randomly select the final plan.

Proposed criteria: Districts must be compact, contiguous, limit splitting of counties and cities, "reflect the state's diverse population and communities of interest," not favor or disfavor incumbents and not provide a disproportionate advantage to any political party.

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MISSOURI

Issue: Petitions signatures being gathered for a proposed constitutional amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot affecting state legislative redistricting.

Status quo: State Senate: 24 Republicans, nine Democrats, one vacancy. State House: 112 Republicans, 46 Democrats, five vacancies.

Current process: For the Senate, the governor appoints a 10-member bipartisan commission from nominees submitted by the state Republican and Democratic parties. For the House, the governor appoints a 16-member bipartisan commission from nominees submitted by Republican and Democratic congressional district committees. Approval of maps requires a seven-tenths majority vote. If that fails, the state Supreme Court appoints a panel of six appellate judges to draw the maps, with a majority vote of the panel required.

Proposed Process: A nonpartisan state demographer would be selected from among applicants by agreement of the Senate majority and minority leaders or, if that fails, by random selection of the state auditor. The demographer would submit maps for approval to the redistricting commissions, which would follow existing procedures for voting.

Proposed criteria: The demographer must take into account the rights of racial and language minorities and design districts to achieve both "partisan fairness" and "competitiveness" as determined by statistical measurements using the results of previous elections. Districts shall also be contiguous and limit splits among counties and cities. Compact districts are preferred but rank last among the criteria.

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SOUTH DAKOTA

Issue: Petition signatures submitted for a proposed constitutional amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot affecting state legislative redistricting.

Status quo: State Senate: 29 Republicans, 6 Democrats. State House: 60 Republicans, 10 Democrats.

Current process: State Legislature passes a redistricting plan by a majority vote, subject to a gubernatorial veto.

Proposed process: The state Board of Elections would create a nine-member redistricting commission, with no more than three members from each political party. Five votes would be needed to approve a map.

Proposed criteria: Districts would be drawn in a grid-like pattern, with adjustments to make them compact, contiguous, "respect communities of interest," and follow geographic features and city and county boundaries. Party registration, voting history and the addresses of incumbents can't be considered.

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UTAH

Issue: Petition signatures being gathered for a proposed constitutional amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot affecting congressional and state legislative redistricting.

Status quo: Congress: Four Republicans. State Senate: 24 Republicans, five Democrats. State House: 62 Republicans, 13 Democrats.

Current process: State Legislature passes redistricting plans by a majority vote, subject to a gubernatorial veto.

Proposed process: Districts would be drawn by a seven member commission, composed of one gubernatorial appointee, two appointees by Republican legislative leaders, two appointees by Democratic legislative leaders and two political independents appointed by majority and minority party legislative leaders. The commission may approve between one and three plans by a vote of at least five members. Their recommended plans then would be submitted to the Legislature for final approval or rejection. If the Legislature adopts a plan that wasn't recommended by the commission, it must provide a detailed explanation of why its plan better satisfies the redistricting standards.

Proposed criteria: Districts shall limit splits among cities and counties, be compact and contiguous, preserve communities of interest and not favor of disfavor incumbents. Partisan voting records may not be considered. But statistical tests, including a measurement of partisan symmetry, shall be used to determine whether the maps meet the other criteria.

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