The downloadable ZIP file contains Esri shapefiles and PDF maps. Contains the information used to determine the location of the new legislative and congressional district boundaries for the state of Idaho as adopted by Idaho's first Commission on Redistricting on March 9, 2002. Contains viewable and printable legislative and congressional district maps, viewable and printable reports, and importable geographic data files.These data were contributed to INSIDE Idaho at the University of Idaho Library in 2001. CD/DVD -ROM availability: https://alliance-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/m1uotc/CP71156191150001451These files were
created by a six-person, by-partisan commission, consisting of six
commission members, three democrats and three republicans. This
commission was given 90 days to redraw congressional and legislative
district boundaries for the state of Idaho. Due to lawsuits, the process
was extended. This legislative plan was approved by the commission on
March 9th, 2002 and was previously called L97. All digital data
originates from TIGER/Line files and 2000 U.S. Census data.Frequently asked questions:How often are Idaho's legislative and congressional districts redrawn? Once
every ten years after each census, as required by law, or when directed
by the Idaho Supreme Court. The most recent redistricting followed the
2000 census. Redistricting is not expected to occur again in Idaho
until after the 2010 census. Who redrew Idaho's legislative and congressional districts? In
2001, for the first time, Idaho used a citizens' commission to redraw
its legislative and congressional district boundaries. Before Idaho
voters amended the state Constitution in 1994 to create a Redistricting
Commission, redistricting was done by a committee of the Idaho
Legislature. The committee's new district plans then had to pass the
Legislature before becoming law. Who was on the Redistricting Commission? Idaho's
first Commission on Redistricting was composed of Co-Chairmen Kristi
Sellers of Chubbuck and Tom Stuart of Boise and Stanley. The other four
members were Raymond Givens of Coeur d'Alene, Dean Haagenson of Hayden
Lake, Karl Shurtliff of Boise, John Hepworth of Buhl (who resigned
effective December 4, 2001), and Derlin Taylor of Burley (who was
appointed to replace Mr. Hepworth). What are the requirements for being a Redistricting Commissioner? According to Idaho Law, no person may serve on the commission who: 1. Is not a registered voter of the state at the time of selection; or 2. Is or has been within one (1) year a registered lobbyist; or 3.
Is or has been within two (2) years prior to selection an elected
official or elected legislative district, county or state party officer.
(This requirement does not apply to precinct committeepersons.) The
individual appointing authorities may consider additional criteria
beyond these statutory requirements. Idaho law also prohibits a person
who has served on the Redistricting Commission from serving in either
house of the legislature for five years following their service on the
commission. When did Idaho's first Commission on Redistricting meet? Idaho
law allows the Commission only 90 days to conduct its business. The
Redistricting Commission was formed on June 5, 2001. Its 90-day time
period would expire on September 3, 2001. After holding hearings around
the state in June and July, a majority of the Commission voted to adopt
new legislative and congressional districts on August 22, 2001. On
November 29th, the Idaho Supreme Court ruled the Commission's
legislative redistricting plan unconstitutional and directed them to
reconvene and adopt an alternative plan. The Commission did so,
adopting a new plan on January 8, 2000. The Idaho Supreme Court found
the Commission's second legislative map unconstitutional on March 1,
2002 and ordered the Commission to try again. The Commission adopted a
third plan on March 9, 2002. The Supreme Court denied numerous
challenges to this third map. It then became the basis for the 2002
primary and General elections and is expected to be used until the 2012
elections. What is the basic timetable for Idaho to redraw its legislative and congressional districts?Typically,
and according to Idaho law, the Redistricting Commission cannot be
formally convened until after Idaho has received the official census
counts and not before June 1 of a year ending in one. Idaho's first
Commission on redistricting was officially created on June 5, 2001. By
law, a Commission then has 90 days (or until September 3, 2001 in the
case of Idaho's first Commission) to approve new legislative and
congressional district boundaries based on the most recent census
figures. If at least four of
the six commissioners fail to approve new legislative and congressional
district plans before that 90-day time period expires, the Commission
will cease to exist. The law is silent as to what happens next. Could you summarize the important dates for Idaho's first Commission on Redistricting one more time please? After
January 1, 2001 but before April 1, 2001: As required by federal law,
the Census Bureau must deliver to the states the small area population
counts upon which redistricting is based. The Census Bureau determines
the exact date within this window when Idaho will get its population
figures. Idaho's were delivered on March 23, 2001. Why conduct a census anyway? The
original and still primary reason for conducting a national census
every ten years is to determine how the 435 seats in the United States
House of Representatives are to be apportioned among the 50 states. Each
state receives its share of the 435 seats in the U.S. House based on
the proportion of its population to that of the total U.S. population.
For example, the population shifts during the 1990's resulted in the
Northeastern states losing population and therefore seats in Congress to
the Southern and the Western states. What is reapportionment? Reapportionment
is a federal issue that applies only to Congress. It is the process of
dividing up the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the
50 states based on each state's proportion of the total U.S. population
as determined by the most recent census. Apportionment
determines the each state's power, as expressed by the size of their
congressional delegation, in Congress and, through the electoral
college, directly affects the selection of the president (each state's
number of votes in the electoral college equals the number of its
representatives and senators in Congress). Like all states, Idaho has
two U.S. senators. Based on our 1990 population of 1,006,000 people and
our 2000 population of 1,293,953, and relative to the populations of the
other 49 states, Idaho will have two seats in the U.S. House of
Representatives. Even with the state's 28.5% population increase from
1990 to 2000, Idaho will not be getting a third seat in the U.S. House
of Representatives. Assuming
Idaho keeps growing at the same rate it did through the decade of the
1990's, it will likely be 30 or 40 years (after 3 or 4 more censuses)
before Idaho gets a third congressional seat. What is redistricting? Redistricting
is the process of redrawing the boundaries of legislative and
congressional districts within each state to achieve population equality
among all congressional districts and among all legislative districts.
The U.S. Constitution requires this be done for all congressional
districts after each decennial census. The Idaho Constitution also
requires that this be done for all legislative districts after each
census. The democratic
principle behind redistricting is "one person, one vote." Requiring that
districts be of equal population ensures that every elected state
legislator or U.S. congressman represents very close to the same number
of people in that state, therefore, each citizen's vote will carry the
same weight. How are reapportionment and redistricting related to the census? The
original and still primary reason for conducting a census every ten
years is to apportion the (now) 435 seats in the U.S. House of
Representatives among the several states. The census records population
changes and is the legally recognized basis for redrawing electoral
districts of equal population. Why is redistricting so important? In
a democracy, it is important for all citizens to have equal
representation. The political parties also see redistricting as an
opportunity to draw districts that favor electing their members and,
conversely, that are unfavorable for electing their political
opposition. (It's for this reason that redistricting has been described
as "the purest form of political bloodsport.") What is PL 94-171? Public
Law (PL) 94-171 (Title 13, United States Code) was enacted by Congress
in 1975. It was intended to provide state legislatures with small-area
census population totals for use in redistricting. The law's origins lie
with the "one person, one vote" court decisions in the 1960's. State
legislatures needed to reconcile Census Bureau's small geographic area
boundaries with voting tabulation districts (precincts) boundaries to
create legislative districts with balanced populations. The Census
Bureau worked with state legislatures and others to meet this need
beginning with the 1980 census. The resulting Public Law 94-171 allows
states to work voluntarily with the Census Bureau to match voting
district boundaries with small-area census boundaries. With this done,
the Bureau can report to those participating states the census
population totals broken down by major race group and Hispanic origin
for the total population and for persons aged 18 years and older for
each census subdivision. Idaho
participated in the Bureau's Census 2000 Redistricting Data Program and,
where counties used visible features to delineate precinct boundaries,
matched those boundaries with census reporting areas. In those instances
where counties did not use visible features to define their precinct
boundaries, approximations of those precinct areas based on nearby
visible features were submitted to the Census Bureau. As a result, Idaho
will receive the 2000 census counts by small census area subdivision as
well as by precinct. Receiving the census results in this fashion will
aid Idaho's first Commission on Redistricting in drawing new legislative
and congressional districts that are substantially equal in population
and that do not discriminate racial or ethnic minorities. What are TIGER/Line files? The
Census 2000 TIGER/Line files for Redistricting form a computerized map
of the entire United States specifically intended to support the
redrawing of legislative and congressional districts. TIGER is an
acronym for "Topologically Integrated, Geographic Encoding and
Referencing." They were first used in the 1990 census. The individual
files are extracts from the Census Bureau's master computerized database
of geographic features for the entire United States. The Census Bureau
created this 1:100,000-scale digital map of all fifty states for the
purposes of conducting a complete and accurate census in a
cost-effective manner, and reporting the results to the states in a form
most useful for redistricting. The
Census Bureau provides the TIGER/Line files to all interested parties
in ASCII text format only, NOT in the form of map images. To create maps
with the TIGER/Line files, one would typically use Geographic
Information System (GIS) or other mapping software. When used together,
the TIGER/Line files and the PL 94-171 data form a computerized map and
attribute database designed specifically for redistricting. How many people does each of Idaho's two U.S. congressmen represent? Based
on the 1990 census, each Idaho congressman represented close to 503,400
people after the last redistricting ten years ago. As the decade
progressed and Idaho experienced rapid growth, particularly in its urban
areas, the population of the two congressional districts have grown
unevenly and beyond that ideal size. Based on 2000 census figures, our
two congressmen will each represent about 647,000 people. What about our two U.S. senators? Unlike
in the U.S. House of Representatives, representation in the U.S. Senate
is not based on a state's population. Each state gets two Senate seats
regardless of how large or small - population wise - they are.
Therefore, each state's two U.S. senators represent all of that state's
citizens. The 1990 census determined Idaho's population to be 1,006,749.
The 2000 census determined our population to be 1,293,953. How many people does each state legislator represent? Idaho
had 35 legislative districts during the 1990's - the Idaho Constitution
says that there can be no less than 30 nor more than 35 legislative
districts. Each legislative district is
represented by one senator and two representatives. Since Idaho's
legislative districts are not further split into two House of
Representative districts, both representatives, like the senator, serve
the entire district. Based on the 1990 census, each state legislator
represented about 28,800 people after the last redistricting ten years
ago. As the decade progressed and Idaho experienced rapid growth,
particularly in its urban areas, the population of many legislative
districts has grown far beyond that ideal size. Based on 2000 census
figures, each of the 105 state legislators will represent about 37,000
people to start off the first decade of the third millennium.