The Special Committee on Redistricting is expected to vote on new electoral maps Today, Tuesday December 20th at 10:30 am in Rooms 306-08 of the Legislative Office Building (33 North State Street, Concord).
House Leadership's plan for redistricting House seats has become particularly controversial. The plan was unveiled exactly 24 hours before the Committee held the public hearing on it. Read the plan here.
At the hearing, the new House districts were opposed by a bipartisan group of legislators. However, House Leadership appears intent on pushing the bill through regardless of that opposition -- and believes that it can use parliamentary maneuvers to make the plan exempt from a Governor's veto. “When it comes to legislative redistricting, you will find very clear language in the Constitution that the House and Senate will be responsible for their own chambers,” [Redistricting Committee Chairman Paul] Mirski said. “There is no room in there for gubernatorial vetoes.” Read the Nashua Telegraph article here. During the last redistricting process, then-Governor Jeanne Shaheen vetoed redistricting plans for both the House and the Senate.
The plan unveiled last week would eliminate one Laconia representative, and divides the cities of Manchester, Keene, Franklin, Dover, Somersworth, Portsmouth and Concord. Read the Laconia Daily Sun article here.
Rep. David Pierce told the Concord Monitor that he thinks the Republican leadership plan "guarantees litigation."
"The process on this has been just amazing to me. We've had the census numbers for nine months but they decide to do it giving the public 24 hours to review a plan that's probably going to pass." Read the Monitor story here.
