Democrat Governor Tom Vilsack’s accusing republican legislators of plotting to “gerrymander” new legislative districts. Legislative and congressional district lines must be redrawn every ten years to adjust for population shifts. A new map for those district lines has been released by a non-partisan agency. If plan one is rejected, it’s on to plan two. If plan two goes down, then a third plan can be drawn up by legislators. Governor Tom Vilsack says republicans want to go that far so they can draw the lines in such a way as to favor their party. Vilsack says recent comments indicate the Republicans want to get to a point where they can gerrymander districts.If Vilsack and republican legislators can’t agree on a plan, then the courts will write it. House Speaker Brent Siegrist, a republican from Council Bluffs, says Vilsack’s accusation is off base. He says the last thing he wants to do on earth is to negotiate a redistricting plan with the governor. Siegrist says Republicans can’t gerrymander, as the governor has veto power over any plan.
