BOISE, Id – This week the U-S Supreme Court took on a plan to re-draw political lines in Texas. That case tests the allocation of new congressional seats largely created because of that state’s rising Latino population. Courts in Colorado and Hawaii have already thrown out plans to re-structure political boundaries. Here in Idaho, the Supreme Court heard arguments last week on a challenge from Twin Falls County to the new Redistricting map. Twin Falls County prosecutor Grant Loebs told the Court the plan is unconstitutional because it splits up too many counties.
Grant Loebs “Article three, section five of the Idaho Constitution clearly prohibit unnecessary division of counties.”
Now it’s up to Idaho’s supreme court justices to decide if the current map will stand, or if it needs to be tossed out and a new one crafted. Gary Moncrief has been watching all of this unfold. He’s a Political Science Professor at Boise State University. Moncrief told Samantha Wright that challenges like this are nothing new.
Next week the Idaho Supreme Court will hear a second challenge to the redistricting map. This time from North Idaho.
Copyright 2012 BSPR
