The Metropolis Sentinel, Employees Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma State Legislature has settled on Legislative district traces for the 2023 elections in each the Home and Senate, topic to evaluation after finalized U.S. Census information is launched later this 12 months.
Senate Democratic Chief Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma Metropolis, launched the next assertion after the Senate handed Senate Invoice 1066, the Senate’s redistricting invoice, in early Might:
“Oklahoma Senate Democrats proceed to consider the redrawing of legislative districts needs to be dealt with by an unbiased redistricting fee. Since this selection just isn’t at present potential, we selected to interact with the present course of led by the Senate Choose Committee on Redistricting. Our caucus had three members on the committee, Sen. Kevin Matthews, D-Tulsa, Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma Metropolis, and Sen. Michael Brooks, D-Oklahoma Metropolis, who served as a vice chair of the committee.
“Whereas the brand new map produced by the committee and permitted by the Senate at the moment just isn’t excellent, members of our caucus have been capable of vote for it as a result of the redistricting course of included enter from our caucus and from the communities we symbolize. The redistricting invoice handed by the Senate Tuesday additionally consists of an modification authored by Sen. Kirt, which is able to make sure the district traces are adjusted if obligatory when last inhabitants information is acquired from the United States Census Bureau later this 12 months.
“Because the redistricting course of strikes ahead, Oklahoma Senate Democrats will proceed speaking with our constituents to verify they’re conscious of the brand new districts and have a chance to make their voices heard.”
In associated information, state Senator Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, stated in a current launch despatched to The Metropolis Sentinel, CapitolBeatOK.com and different information organizations, “On the outset, we pledged to have an open and clear redistricting course of and we delivered. At each flip, we engaged with the general public and sought their enter within the redistricting course of as a part of our dedication to transparency. The outcomes have been maps which are extra compact and higher than the present legislative boundaries.”
Word: Each 10 years, the Oklahoma Legislature is constitutionally required to redraw legislative and congressional district boundaries utilizing the newest U.S. Census information. The requirement is said within the U.S. Structure, at Article I, part 2, clause 3. Pat McGuigan, editor of The Metropolis Sentinel newspaper, contributed to this report.
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