Redistricting Success

Chris Garrett, co-chair of the House Redistricting Committee

One of the more unlikely achievements of the 2011 session was the passage of bipartisan redistricting plans for both the state legislature and Congress. Every ten years, following each Census, the state must redraw district lines in order to maintain population equality. More often than not, the Legislature has failed to do it, turning the task over to the courts or the Secretary of State. Given the challenges of an unprecedented 30-30 split in the House of Representatives, no one expected a better result this year. Instead, in a surprise development that the Oregonian compared to a "unicorn sighting," the Legislature first unveiled a bipartisan plan for the redrawing of state legislative lines. Then, in the final 72 hours of the session, we reached a second bipartisan agreement on redrawing the congressional lines. I was proud to be part of this historic moment as the co-chair of the House Redistricting Committee. The new lines will apply to the 2012 elections.