Senate, House Redistricting Committees approve rules, guidelines and map submission process
Published: February 26th, 2021
Oklahoma State Senator Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, is leading the reapportionment/redistricting process in the Oklahoma Senate.
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Staff Report
OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate Select Committee on Redistricting and the House State and Federal Redistricting Committee met Thursday (February 25) at the State Capitol and adopted redistricting rules and guidelines as well as the parameters for public map submissions.
“The rules, guidelines and map submission parameters are another key component in the open and transparent redistricting process. Public input is key, and the response so far through town hall meetings has been great. I encourage all Oklahomans to get involved in the process by sharing their questions and concerns directly with their senator or sharing map submissions that comply with the guidelines adopted by the committee,” said Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle and Senate redistricting committee chair.
“A representative form of government rests on the premise that the governed will have a clear say in selecting those who serve them,” said Rep. Ryan Martinez, R-Edmond and House redistricting committee chair.
“I would encourage all Oklahomans to go online, view the maps of proposed legislative and congressional districts from the public, participate in our town halls and talk to those who represent them so they are assured they have a true voice in this process.”
The Senate rules can be viewed here:
https://oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/inline-files/Senate%20Redistricting%20Guidelines.pdf
The House rules can be viewed here:
https://oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/inline-files/Senate%20Redistricting%20Guidelines.pdf
The redistricting rules in the respective chambers of the Legislature address procedural operations of the redistricting committees.
The guidelines approved this week can also be viewed online.
The Senate guidelines can be studied here:
https://oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/inline-files/Senate%20Redistricting%20Guidelines.pdf
The House guidelines can be studied here:
https://www.okhouse.gov/Documents/Districts/ADOPTED%202021%20Redistricting%20Guidelines.pdf
The guidelines outline the goals of the committees in drawing legislative boundaries with Census data.
The public map submission parameters include the technical criteria that maps must meet for submission. Additionally, map submissions are limited to Oklahoma residents only, and only one House and Senate map per person may be submitted.
Submissions are due by 5 p.m., Sunday, April 4.
The Senate’s full map submission parameters are here:
https://oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/inline-files/Public%20Map%20Submission%20Parameters.pdf
The House’s full map submission parameters are here:
https://www.okhouse.gov/Documents/Districts/2021%20House%20Public%20Map%20Submission%20Parameters.pdf
Oklahomans can visit the Senate or House websites to contact their senator or representative. Questions and concerns relating to redistricting can also be emailed to redistricting@oksenate.gov or redistrictoklahoma2020@okhouse.gov .
Additionally, Senator Paxton, Representative Martinez and House and Senate redistricting committee staff will participate in a virtual town hall at 6 p.m. Monday, March 1, to provide an update and discuss these actions. The virtual town hall includes a training from a representative of Dave’s Redistricting App, a free redistricting mapping resource that Oklahomans can utilize to try their hand at drawing state legislative districts.
That meeting is open to the public and accessible online at: https://okhouse.gov/Publications/VirtualMeets.aspx .