2011 Redistricting and Reprecincting

Congressional and Legislative Redistricting

Iowa's redistricting process began with the April 1, 2010 federal census. The census is required by the U.S. Constitution for the purpose of assigning a fair number of members of the House of Representatives to each state. Iowa lost a House seat in the 2010 census, so the state's five congressional districts need to be redrawn into four districts balanced by population. Districts for state senators and representatives also need to be balanced by population.

Iowa's system for drawing congressional and state legislative districts is often cited as a model for nonpartisanship and fairness. Districts are drawn by the Legislative Service Agency (LSA). The LSA is only allowed to consider census population when drawing districts, and is explicitly NOT allowed to consider partisan voting patterns or the residence of any legislators or potential candidates.

The LSA is required to draw U.S. House districts without splitting counties. Counties and cities must be kept together whenever possible when drawing state legislative districts. Johnson County is larger than a state legislative district and is split into five House districts and three Senate districts. (Each state Senate district is made up of two whole state House districts.)

Ideal District Size

• State Population: 3,053,787
• Johnson County Population: 130,882
• Congressional District (4 districts): 763,447
• State Senate District (50 districts): 61,076
• State House District (100 districts): 30,538

After the map is released, it must be approved by both houses of the legislature and signed by Governor Branstad. Legislators are not allowed to amend or change the first plan in any way, and must vote up or down on the entire package. They cannot, for example, approve the congressional districts and reject the legislative districts.

If the first plan is rejected, the LSA prepares a second plan. Again, this plan cannot be changed and must be approved or rejected as a whole. It is also not possible to go back and choose the first plan over the second.

If plan two fails, the LSA draws a third plan. The third plan can be amended. If the third plan is not approved, the courts will choose a plan. This has never been needed in Iowa's four experiences with the nonpartisan system.

• 1981: Third plan approved without amendment. State kept six congressional districts.
• 1991: First plan approved. State went from six congressional districts to five.
• 2001: Second plan approved. State kept five congressional districts.
• 2011: First plan approved. State went from five congressional districts to four.

Once a plan is approved, cities and counties can establish precincts for the next decade.

Reprecincting

Precinct boundaries are set by the respective city councils and, for rural Johnson County, by the Board of Supervisors.  The cities and the Board  worked closely with our office on reprecincting in 2011, as they have in past decades. Once the boundaries are established, the Auditor's Office determines polling places for each precinct.

Unlike legislative and congressional districts, voting precincts do not have to have equal populations. No precinct may have a census population over 3,500 people. Precincts may not be divided between state legislative districts at the time they are established.  New precinct boundaries may also take into account shifts in population, past voter turnout, suitable polling place locations and anticipated new development.

Johnson County does not require an independent commission to draw supervisor districts, as the county is a Plan 1 county which elects supervisors at large.

Based on census totals, the following changes to the 2002-2011 Johnson County precincts were required:

• The city of North Liberty has a population of 13,374, requiring at least four precincts (up from the previous two). Both North Liberty precincts were over the 3,500 maximum population. The city approved a map with six new precincts
• In addition to the two North Liberty precincts, the following precincts had census populations over the 3,500 maximum:
  • Iowa City 8, Iowa City 12/East Lucas South, Iowa City 14
  • Coralville 6

Precincts cannot cross legislative district lines at the time they are established. The following changes were required:

• Iowa City Precinct 22 and East Lucas North, a combined precinct last decade, are in different legislative districts. For the next decade, East Lucas North will be combined with Penn Township, the only other precinct in House District 74 that it borders.
• West Lucas and Liberty townships are divided between two legislative districts, along the former Hills city limits (railroad tracks). The city of Hills, the smaller part of West Lucas,  and a small zero population part of rural Liberty (east of tracks) are in House District 86; the larger portions of West Lucas and rural Liberty (west of tracks) are in House District 77.
  
  Because the smaller portions of West Lucas and Liberty townships have a census population of less than 50, they will be able to remain in the same precinct as the rest of their township.
  
  Note: The legislation establishing districts defines city limits as the boundaries on January 1, 2010. At that time, the city limits of Hills included the Crandic Railroad right of way from the main body of Hills to the city limits of Iowa City at Izaak Walton League Road. Since that date, the city of Hills has de-annexed the northern part of the railroad right of way.

Dates

November 2, 2010: The last scheduled election using the current legislative and congressional district boundaries was the November 2, 2010 general election.

March 31, 2011: First redistricting plan released by Legislative Service Agency.

April 14, 2011. First plan approved by House, 91-7, and by Senate, 48-1.

April 19, 2011: Governor Branstad signs bill.

August-September 2011: City councils and Board of Supervisors approve new precincts.

November 8, 2011 city election: The last election using the 2001 precinct boundaries.

January 3, 2012: Iowa presidential caucuses, conducted by political parties (NOT by our office). Due to the early caucus date, both parties used the 2001 precinct boundaries.

January 15, 2012: New precincts become official.

June 5, 2012 primary: The first scheduled elections with new district and precinct boundaries established in 2011 are the June 5, 2012 primary and the November 6, 2012 general elections.

The terms of U.S. Representatives and state representatives elected in 2010 run through December 31, 2012. The terms of state senators elected in 2010 run through 2014. Under the approved plan, the three state senators with Johnson County precincts (Bolkcom, Dvorsky and Greiner) were all elected in 2010 and are in odd-numbered districts, so all will remain in office through 2014.

This means that until the current terms expire, you may be represented by officials who you cannot vote for or against in 2012 or 2014. You should feel free to contact elected officials from either your old or new districts.