LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have approved formal guidelines for the redrawing of political boundaries, a process that will shape the state’s legislative and congressional districts for the next decade.
The 30-16 vote was largely on party lines, with Republicans supporting the guidelines, even though Nebraska’s Legislature is ostensibly nonpartisan.
Democrats, who are outnumbered and only hold seats in Omaha- and Lincoln-area districts, say the approved plan gives lawmakers too much wiggle room to tweak the maps for political gain.
Lawmakers aren’t expected to begin redistricting until a special session in September because of pandemic-related delays in the release of the U.S. Census population data.