House and Senate approve redistricting bill

Step one to redrawing Iowa’s Congressional and Legislative districts was completed this morning as the Iowa House morning approved the new maps. Only 18 House members voted against the new plan. Representative Phil Wise, a democrat from Keokuk, said the new congressional districts were “irrational.” He says separating Des Moines from its suburbs doesn’t make any sense.Even as legislators approved the plan which redraws Iowa’s Congressional and Legislative districts, they were talking about changing the way the maps are drawn in the future. The non-partisan Legislative Service Bureau uses Census Data and a computer program to draw maps, and presents one map to lawmakers to consider. Representative David Millage of Bettendorf says that kind of secrecy is offensive. Representative Janet Metcalf of Urbandale leads the House State Government Committee, and she says that and other changes in the redistricting process will be considered next winter.Metcalf defended the plan. She says drawing the districts to reflect population shifts toward the eastern portion of the state created some unique challenges.