Legislative Districts of Idaho for 1992 - 2002 [Historical]

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.<br /><div><br /></div><div><span>These data were contributed to <a href='https://insideidaho.org' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>INSIDE Idaho</a> at the <a href='https://www.lib.uidaho.edu' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>University of Idaho Library</a> in 2001.  <br /></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>CD/DVD -ROM availability: <a href='https://alliance-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/m1uotc/CP71156191150001451' rel='nofollow ugc' target='_blank'>https://alliance-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/m1uotc/CP71156191150001451</a></span></div><div><br /><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>These 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.</div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'><span style='text-decoration:underline;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>Frequently asked questions:</span></span></div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>How often are Idaho's legislative and congressional districts redrawn? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>Who redrew Idaho's legislative and congressional districts? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>Who was on the Redistricting Commission? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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). </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>What are the requirements for being a Redistricting Commissioner? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>According to Idaho Law, no person may serve on the commission who: </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>1. Is not a registered voter of the state at the time of selection; or </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>2. Is or has been within one (1) year a registered lobbyist; or </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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.) </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>When did Idaho's first Commission on Redistricting meet? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>What is the basic timetable for Idaho to redraw its legislative and congressional districts?</span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'>Could you summarize the important dates for Idaho's first Commission on Redistricting one more time please? </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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.  </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>Why conduct a census anyway? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>What is reapportionment? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'> <span style='font-weight:bold;'>What is redistricting?</span> </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>The democratic 
principle behind redistricting is &quot;one person, one vote.&quot; 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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>How are reapportionment and redistricting related to the census? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>Why is redistricting so important? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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 &quot;the purest form of political bloodsport.&quot;) </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>What is PL 94-171? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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 &quot;one person, one vote&quot; 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. </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>What are TIGER/Line files? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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 &quot;Topologically Integrated, Geographic Encoding and 
Referencing.&quot; 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. </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>How many people does each of Idaho's two U.S. congressmen represent?</span> </div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>What about our two U.S. senators? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'><span style='font-weight:bold;'>How many people does each state legislator represent? </span></div><div style='padding:0px 0px 1em;'>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. </div><div style='padding:0px;'>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.</div><span></span></div>

Tags: boundaries, legislative-districts, reapportionment, redistricting
Organization: University of Idaho