Preliminary Redistricting Seems Acceptable
by June 25, 2001 12:00 am 59 views
Some preliminary boundaries have been drawn for this summer’s reshaping of the state’s legislative districts. The Northwest Arkansas Chambers of Commerce has viewed and is relatively pleased with the plan, but many more changes could occur before the redistricting board of Gov. Mike Huckabee, Attorney General Mark Pryor and Secretary of State Sharon Priest make it legal late this summer.
We hear the prelims would give Northwest Arkansas three new state House of Representatives seats and one more state Senate spot. The new House members would serve Greenland- Farmington-west Fayetteville, Lowell- Bethel Heights-part of Springdale and either Beaver Lake or a part of Rogers.
The new Senator would come from Lincoln-Prairie Grove-Tontitown-John-son and part of Springdale.
Northwest Arkansas felt slighted in 1990 when that year’s redistricting effort left little leeway for the area’s high population growth. The new plans are based on the 2000 census and future population projections.
The Northwest Chambers had hired an attorney to sue if the board didn’t make the new boundaries fair and equitable.