Whitney Downard
CNHI Statehouse Reporter

INDIANAPOLIS — Hoosiers want more competitive legislative districts that prioritize communities of interest together, rather than splitting their vote, according to a report from the Indiana Coalition for Independent Redistricting.

“We heard several consistent themes at all of the (10) virtual public hearings, revealing a desire for a new redistricting process in 2021 focused on the needs of voters and communities,” the coalition said. “Where voters choose their legislators, instead of legislators choosing their voters.”

Because of COVID-19, lawmakers haven’t received the finalized census numbers needed for redistricting, a process that happens just once every 10 years. With data projected to arrive sometime in the fall, legislators extended the session’s end date, or sine die, to Nov. 15.

Democrats have pushed multiple times for a nonpartisan commission to draw new district lines, rather than the supermajorities in both chambers, but Republicans resisted their efforts. The statewide listening tour could begin as early as July, though Republicans haven’t announced any other details.

The independent redistricting coalition has pushed for lawmakers to publicize their priorities for drawing districts, which could include compactness or competitiveness. A compact district will keep the geographical area covered tight, rather than sprawling, while a competitive district would encourage competitive elections.

“The (coalition) recognizes that seeking to emphasize compactness over competitiveness, or vice versa, can create problems,” the report said. “Compactness will often require splitting communities of color in ways that make it hard for minority voters to have meaningful impact on elections.

“On the other hand, stressing competition as the pre-eminent criteria for map drawers can mean dividing towns, cities and neighborhoods to manufacture competition.”

Because of this, the coalition emphasizes keeping communities of interest together, or areas with similar ethnic or cultural identities, which it says will encourage “organic political competition.”

Areas identified as communities of interest in the report include the Lake Michigan shoreline, the Latino/a population in Clinton County and counties bordering the Ohio River.

According to preliminary numbers, Indiana won’t lose or gain any congressional seats, meaning legislators could just adjust the boundaries of Indiana’s nine districts based on the 300,000-Hoosier population growth in the last decade.

New lines get trickier for the state’s 50 Senate districts and 100 House districts, as rural areas see continued population declines while urban and suburban areas see growth.

Voters also reported concerns about splitting cities into several districts.

This article was made available by Hoosier State Press Association.