| February 1, 2022 -- I have been watching the Reapportionment Commissions and the Redistricting of both the State House and Senate districts as well as the Federal Congressional Districts. The legislature did not complete their redistricting recommendations by the statuary deadline, so the project was sent on to a bipartisan Reapportionment Commission to adopt new district maps. This commission is really two, one for the house and one for the senate.
These commissions have successfully completed redistricting maps for both the Connecticut State House and Senate districts. There was a large population shift from the east to the west which required the shifting of districts. No House member was drawn out of their current seat, but several may face harder races due to the revisions. Wilton now has its own district where it was split before. Stamford picked up a seventh house seat. In the 52nd district in Northeast Connecticut the lines had to be redrawn due to a large loss in population. Inmates are no longer counted where they are imprisoned. My own residence is now back included in the same district as the rest of the town of Mansfield. In the previous map we were on a leg extending from the district covering Colchester.
The State Commission did not complete a final map for the Federal Congressional Districts by the November 30th deadline. This process has now moved to the Connecticut Supreme Court. The court appointed an independent person to draw up the maps and outlined parameters for the new map.
The court instructed this individual to both respect the existing districts yet ignore the political considerations in redrawing the district lines. He is not to consider either residency of incumbents or potential candidates as well as political data, such as party registration or election returns. The lines should remain compact and not violate town lines more than they already are. He is required to submit his congressional redistricting plan to the State Supreme Court on or before Jan 18th.
The challenge here again is the large loss of population in the Second Congressional District on the Eastern part for the state and a gain in lower Fairfield County. They don’t have adjoining borders.
The Democratic and Republican leadership recently submitted proposals to the mediator. Both maps offer minimal changes to the present district lines. Both their proposed maps move district lines in towns that were previously spilt between districts.
Once a plan is drafted and made public, interested parties may suggest changes until Jan. 24. Then on Jan. 27th public hearings will be held with a deadline to establish the final maps of Feb. 15.
You can view the approved House and Senate maps on the Connecticut General Assembly website under the 2021 Redistricting Project - C G A (ct.gov).
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