Cedar Rapids, IA, USA  
Digital Edition Digital Edition
Log in Log In My Account My Account
Subscribe Today
The Gazette The Gazette
The Gazette The Gazette
  • COVID-19
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Food & Drink
  • Business
Digital Edition Digital Edition
Log in Log In My Account My Account
Subscribe
CLOSE
The Gazette
Subscribe
My Account
  • News
    • All News
    • Election 2020
    • Coronavirus
    • Business News
    • Community
    • Crime and Courts
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Nation and World
    • Time Machine
    • Search Archive

    Our Journalists

    • Rod Boshart
    • Lee Hermiston
    • Erin Jordan
    • James Q. Lynch
    • Trish Mehaffey
    • Vanessa Miller
    • Kat Russell
    • Grace King
    • John Steppe
    • Gage Miskimen
    • Marissa Payne
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Iowa Hawkeyes
    • Hawkeye Football
    • Hawkeye Basketball
    • Prep Sports
    • Prep Volleyball
    • Prep Football
    • Prep Basketball
    • Prep Wrestling
    • Iowa State Cyclones
    • UNI Panthers
    • Small College Sports
    • Minor League Sports
    • Outdoors

    Sports Desk

    • Mike Hlas
    • Jeff Johnson
    • Jeff Linder
    • J.R. Ogden
    • K.J. Pilcher
    • Leah Vann
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Editorial Mission
    • Guest Columnists
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Political Cartoons
    • Staff Columnists
    • Staff Editorials
    • Submit a Letter or Column

    Our Columnists

    • Todd Dorman
    • Adam Sullivan
  • Food and Drink
    • All Food and Drink
    • Chew on This
    • Recipes
    • Restaurants
  • Business
    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Business Notes
    • Companies
    • Personal Finance
    • Economy
    • Employment
    • Energy
    • Manufacturing
    • Openings & Closures
    • Real Estate
    • Retail
    • Small Business
    • Transportation

    Our Journalists

    • Rod Boshart
    • Erin Jordan
    • John Steppe
  • Obituaries
    • All Obituaries
    • In Memory Of
    • Submit an Obituary
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • Daily News Podcast
    • Fact Checker
    • Hlastradamus Odds
    • Iowa Prep Sports
    • On Iowa
    • On Iowa Politics
    • On UNI
    • Pinning Combination
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Art
    • Books
    • Museums & Galleries
    • Music
    • Theater
    • Things To Do
  • Living
    • All Living
    • Health & Wellness
    • Home & Garden
    • Milestones
    • People & Places
    • Pets & Animals
    • Recreation
    • Religion & Belief
    • Travel

    Our Writers

    • Diana Nollen
  • Kids Gazette
    • See All
    • Kids Cooking Series
    • Kids Galleries
    • Printables
    • Activities
    • Articles
    • Submissions
    • Resources
  • Photos
    • All Photos and Videos
    • The Iowa Photo
    • Photo Store

    Our Photojournalists

    • Andy Abeyta
    • Liz Martin
    • Rebecca Miller
    • Jim Slosiarek
    • Gazette Visuals
  • Milestones
    • All Milestones
    • Anniversaries
    • Days To Remember
    • Engagements
    • Holidays
    • In Remembrance
    • New Arrivals
    • Thank Yous
    • Submit a Milestone
  • Data
    • Arrests
    • Building Permits
    • Interactive Maps & Charts
    • Salaries
  • Gazette Sites
    • Classifieds
    • Corridor Careers
    • Garage Sales
    • Gazette Gives Back
    • Gazette Rewards
    • Gazette Store
    • Green Gazette
    • HER
    • Iowa Wedding Experience
    • Holiday Light Finder
    • Hoopla
    • Iowa Ideas
    • Photo Store
  • Special Events
  • Special Sections
  • Other
    • About The Gazette
    • Archives
    • Article Removal
    • Business Directory
    • CR Arrest Database
    • Mobile Apps
    • Customer Care
    • Order Back Issues
    • Privacy Policies
    • Puzzle Answers
    • Sponsorship Requests
    • Submit a Letter
    • Weather
Daily News PodcastDaily News Podcast
Daily NewslettersDaily Newsletters
Log out

FOLLOW US

The Gazette
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Food and Drink
  • Business
  • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
  • Entertainment
  • Living
  • Kids Gazette
  • Photos
  • Milestones
  • Data
  • Gazette Sites
  • Special Events
  • Special Sections
  • Other
  • All News
  • Election 2020
  • Coronavirus
  • Business News
  • Community
  • Crime and Courts
  • Education
  • Government
  • Health
  • Nation and World
  • Time Machine
  • Search Archive

Our Journalists

  • Rod Boshart
  • Lee Hermiston
  • Erin Jordan
  • James Q. Lynch
  • Trish Mehaffey
  • Vanessa Miller
  • Kat Russell
  • Grace King
  • John Steppe
  • Gage Miskimen
  • Marissa Payne
  • All Sports
  • Iowa Hawkeyes
  • Hawkeye Football
  • Hawkeye Basketball
  • Prep Sports
  • Prep Volleyball
  • Prep Football
  • Prep Basketball
  • Prep Wrestling
  • Iowa State Cyclones
  • UNI Panthers
  • Small College Sports
  • Minor League Sports
  • Outdoors

Sports Desk

  • Mike Hlas
  • Jeff Johnson
  • Jeff Linder
  • J.R. Ogden
  • K.J. Pilcher
  • Leah Vann
  • All Opinion
  • Editorial Mission
  • Guest Columnists
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Political Cartoons
  • Staff Columnists
  • Staff Editorials
  • Submit a Letter or Column

Our Columnists

  • Todd Dorman
  • Adam Sullivan
  • All Food and Drink
  • Chew on This
  • Recipes
  • Restaurants
  • All Business
  • Agriculture
  • Business Notes
  • Companies
  • Personal Finance
  • Economy
  • Employment
  • Energy
  • Manufacturing
  • Openings & Closures
  • Real Estate
  • Retail
  • Small Business
  • Transportation

Our Journalists

  • Rod Boshart
  • Erin Jordan
  • John Steppe
  • All Obituaries
  • In Memory Of
  • Submit an Obituary
  • All Podcasts
  • Daily News Podcast
  • Fact Checker
  • Hlastradamus Odds
  • Iowa Prep Sports
  • On Iowa
  • On Iowa Politics
  • On UNI
  • Pinning Combination
  • All Entertainment
  • Art
  • Books
  • Museums & Galleries
  • Music
  • Theater
  • Things To Do
  • All Living
  • Health & Wellness
  • Home & Garden
  • Milestones
  • People & Places
  • Pets & Animals
  • Recreation
  • Religion & Belief
  • Travel

Our Writers

  • Diana Nollen
  • See All
  • Kids Cooking Series
  • Kids Galleries
  • Printables
  • Activities
  • Articles
  • Submissions
  • Resources
  • All Photos and Videos
  • The Iowa Photo
  • Photo Store

Our Photojournalists

  • Andy Abeyta
  • Liz Martin
  • Rebecca Miller
  • Jim Slosiarek
  • Gazette Visuals
  • All Milestones
  • Anniversaries
  • Days To Remember
  • Engagements
  • Holidays
  • In Remembrance
  • New Arrivals
  • Thank Yous
  • Submit a Milestone
  • Arrests
  • Building Permits
  • Interactive Maps & Charts
  • Salaries
  • Classifieds
  • Corridor Careers
  • Garage Sales
  • Gazette Gives Back
  • Gazette Rewards
  • Gazette Store
  • Green Gazette
  • HER
  • Iowa Wedding Experience
  • Holiday Light Finder
  • Hoopla
  • Iowa Ideas
  • Photo Store
  • About The Gazette
  • Archives
  • Article Removal
  • Business Directory
  • CR Arrest Database
  • Mobile Apps
  • Customer Care
  • Order Back Issues
  • Privacy Policies
  • Puzzle Answers
  • Sponsorship Requests
  • Submit a Letter
  • Weather
Daily News PodcastDaily News Podcast Daily NewslettersDaily Newsletters
LOG OUT

FOLLOW US

More Stories

Marion school board votes 5-2 to no longer consider ’Mavericks’

University of Iowa presidential finalist Osofsky tackles questions of free…

24-hour COVID-19 vaccine clinic to take place this weekend

'A way to start over again’: Collaboration aims to replant…

Iowa’s public works needs ignored too long, White House reports

House GOP calls for freezing funding for ‘bloated’ regents universities

More than 750,000 Iowans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19

Biden wants infrastructure deal, but GOP doubts persist

Home / News / Government & Politics

Iowa lawmakers exploring options for role in redistricting

By: James Q. Lynch Feb. 25, 2021 3:21 pm Updated: Feb. 25, 2021 6:05 pm
Iowa lawmakers exploring options for role in redistricting

DES MOINES - Iowa lawmakers are in discussions - among themselves and with Gov. Kim Reynolds' office - to determine what, if any, role they will play in drawing congressional and legislative districts to reflect population changes over the past 10 years.

The U.S. Census Bureau has informed states that it will deliver data needed for the redistricting process Sept. 30 - 29 days after the deadline for the Iowa Legislature to approve new maps of congressional districts and 150 legislative districts. If it misses the deadline, the state Supreme Court takes responsibility for redistricting.

However, House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, hasn't given up on the possibility lawmakers will play their role in the process that has been held up as a model of nonpartisan redistricting.

'We're not going to just jump to a conclusion in February that we will not have it,” Grassley said Thursday about the census data.

The Sept. 30 delivery date is six months later than the Census Bureau's typical release, which it previously pushed out to July 30 because of delays in gathering census data. Ten years ago, the Legislative Services Agency, which draws the maps for legislative approval, was crafting the first plan and lawmakers approved it April 14.

Democratic legislative leaders have expressed concern that Republicans, who control both chambers of the Legislature and the governor's office, might try to approve maps giving them advantage in elections for the next 10 years. Democrats are not eager to see the matter handed over to the Supreme Court.

'No, of course, it's not a good thing, that we're not able to go through the normal process on this,” Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, said.

Drawing legislative maps probably is not an area of 'core competence” for the court, he said. If it falls to the court, 'legislative leaders would certainly urge the court to use the services of Ed Cook and the Legislative Services Agency.”

Cook is a senior legal counsel for the Legislative Services Agency and has been involved in two previous redistricting processes.

House Minority Leader Todd Prichard, D-Charles City, who blamed the delay on the 'incompetence” of the Trump administration, expressed confidence that the court would draw legislative boundaries 'not influenced by politics.”

'Our premise is that these districts need to be drawn fairly ... that we have voters picking the politicians, not politicians picking their voters,” he said.

The Temporary Redistricting Advisory Committee, which has four members appointed by legislative leaders, is scheduled to meet Monday to pick a fifth member.

Its job is to provide advice to the Legislative Services Agency, conduct public hearings on the agency's plan and make a recommendation to the Legislature.

Comments: (319) 398-8375; james.lynch@thegazette.com

Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley pounds the gavel during the opening day of the Iowa Legislature, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, at the Statehouse in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Iowa Legislature

James Q. Lynch

House GOP calls for freezing funding for ‘bloated’ regents universities

Little progress, but caregivers not giving up on decadelong legislative…

Iowa legislative leaders continue war of words over prison staff…

New website will honor Iowa women elected to state, federal…

‘Playing politics’ charges leveled by both parties in Iowa House…

All articles by James

Give us feedback

We work hard to provide fair, accurate coverage because we value your trust. If you find an error or omission in our reporting, please tell us here.

Submit a story idea

Do you have a story idea that we should look into? Please tell us here.

Related Stories

Week in Iowa: Recap of news from around the state…

Week in Iowa: Recap of news from around the state…

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau News Apr. 8, 2021 11:25 pm

Iowa legislative leaders continue war of words over prison staff…

Iowa legislative leaders continue war of words over prison staff…

James Q. Lynch State Government Apr. 12, 2021 11:58 am

A to-do list for the Iowa Legislature

A to-do list for the Iowa Legislature

Staff editorial Opinion Apr. 8, 2021 8:15 am

Government & Politics

Two members added to Iowa City Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Two members added to Iowa City Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Lee Hermiston

Local Government Apr. 12, 2021 3:46 pm

Little progress, but caregivers not giving up on decadelong legislative…

Little progress, but caregivers not giving up on decadelong legislative…

James Q. Lynch

News Apr. 12, 2021 11:58 am

After border visit, Hinson calls for reinstating Trump policies

After border visit, Hinson calls for reinstating Trump policies

By Amie Rivers

Federal Government Apr. 9, 2021 11:31 pm

Bottle bill changes dead, prisons to get funding boost, Iowa…

Bottle bill changes dead, prisons to get funding boost, Iowa…

Erin Murphy

State Government Apr. 9, 2021 8:59 pm

News

More than 750,000 Iowans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19

More than 750,000 Iowans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19

Kat Russell

Health Care and Medicine Apr. 12, 2021 7:16 pm

Biden wants infrastructure deal, but GOP doubts persist

Biden wants infrastructure deal, but GOP doubts persist

AP

News Apr. 12, 2021 6:54 pm

Tennessee school shooting kills 1, wounds police officer

Tennessee school shooting kills 1, wounds police officer

AP

News Apr. 12, 2021 6:53 pm

Police: Minnesota officer meant to draw Taser, not handgun

Police: Minnesota officer meant to draw Taser, not handgun

AP

News Apr. 12, 2021 6:51 pm

Sports

Kelly Proesch finds her own niche, writes her own success…

Kelly Proesch finds her own niche, writes her own success…

Jeff Linder

Sports Apr. 12, 2021 9:21 pm

Kirkwood ready for national volleyball tournament

Kirkwood ready for national volleyball tournament

K.J. Pilcher

Sports Apr. 12, 2021 7:42 pm

Enyi Uwazurike taking on bigger leadership role for Iowa State

Enyi Uwazurike taking on bigger leadership role for Iowa State

Ben Visser

Sports Apr. 12, 2021 6:49 pm

Liam Robbins transferring from Minnesota to Vanderbilt, not Iowa

Liam Robbins transferring from Minnesota to Vanderbilt, not Iowa

Mike Hlas

Hawkeye Basketball Apr. 12, 2021 3:56 pm

Opinion

Most Iowa Republicans plan to get jabbed — so should…

Most Iowa Republicans plan to get jabbed — so should…

Adam Sullivan

Opinion Apr. 12, 2021 3:06 pm

Women in agriculture hit hard by pandemic

Women in agriculture hit hard by pandemic

Sara Todd

Opinion Apr. 12, 2021 2:04 pm

How Iowa can stay in front of the next tech…

How Iowa can stay in front of the next tech…

Brent Skorup and Patricia Patnode

Opinion Apr. 12, 2021 2:03 pm

Capitol Ideas column: Iowa justices leave redistricting questions open

Capitol Ideas column: Iowa justices leave redistricting questions open

Erin Murphy

Opinion Apr. 11, 2021 11:24 pm

FOLLOW US

The Gazette is Iowa’s independent, employee-owned source for local, state, and national news coverage.

© 2021 The Gazette

All Rights Reserved.

  • Advertise with us
  • Privacy
  • Web Accessibility

Contact Us

  • 116 3rd St SE
    Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
  • customercare@thegazette.com
  • (319) 398-8333
  • Live Chat

Links

  • Puzzle Answers
  • CR Arrest Database
  • Article Removal Request
  • Archives
  • Green Gazette
  • Corridor Careers Jobs
  • Work at The Gazette
  • Customer Care

© 2021 The Gazette

All Rights Reserved.

  • Advertise with us
  • Privacy
  • Web Accessibility
Folience A Folience Company