Access details for three Iowa Redistricting virtual public input meetings will be available in mid-September at https://www.legis.iowa.gov/committees/meetings/meetingsListComm?groupID=587&ga=89.
For reminders, RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/861406414766933
Iowa’s long-standing redistricting process does not allow politicians in power to pick their own districts. It is vitally important that the state keeps the process free of political interference—including partisan amendments—to ensure all Iowans have a voice in their representation.
With the release of finalized data by the U.S. Census Bureau in August, Iowa’s redistricting process is underway.
Once the initial redistricting plan is released in mid-September, a special bipartisan advisory commission will hold three online meetings to gather public input on the new maps. Mark your calendars to attend one of the online meetings scheduled for:
- Monday, September 20: 7 PM to 9:30 PM
- Tuesday, September 21: Noon to 3 PM
- Wednesday, September 22: 6 PM to 8:30 PM
Iowa’s redistricting model is recognized nationwide as the “gold standard” because it doesn’t allow political influence to impact new legislative districts. Since 1980, Iowa’s district lines have been drawn by nonpartisan legislative staff, who follow a strict set of criteria, including:
- Districts must be established based on population, and the population of all districts should be as equal as practicable.
- Each Congressional district must be composed of whole counties, and the number of counties and cities divided into more than one legislative district must be as small as possible.
- Districts must be composed of convenient contiguous territory.
- Districts must be reasonably compact in form (i.e., square, rectangular or hexagonal; not irregularly shaped, to the extent permitted by natural or political boundaries).