Opinion ID: 2515815
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: S48859, Lehan et al. v. Bradbury

Text: Lehan Petitioners challenge the placement of the City of Wilsonville in House District 26. [18] Lehan Petitioners note that virtually all of Wilsonville is in Clackamas County, but that House District 26 joins Wilsonville with Washington County. Lehan Petitioners argue that their community of interest is with the area currently in House District 37. They contend, conversely, that the City of Tualatin shares a community of interest with House District 26. Lehan Petitioners argue that the court should direct the Secretary of State to place Wilsonville in House District 37 and to place Tualatin in House District 26. Lehan Petitioners concede that the populations of the two cities do not match, but suggest that the Secretary of State somehow could correct such problems. The Secretary of State explained his reasons for drawing House District 26 as he did as follows: House District 26 contains the cities of Gaston, Sherwood and Wilsonville. It also contains a large area of unincorporated Washington County and a smaller area of Clackamas County. The shape of this district changed in response to public testimony, adding areas near Wilsonville including the Wilsonville Tract, an important regional resource. The portion of Hillsboro previously included in this district was removed in response to testimony to contain that city entirely in two House districts. There are good transportation links between the population centers. The population deviates from the ideal by .8 percent. Regarding House District 37, the Secretary explained: This district complies with the principle of not splitting cities by keeping Tualatin and West Linn whole. These two communities share an excellent transportation link: Interstate 205. Its southern border is the Willamette. The population deviates from the ideal by zero percent. The interrelationship of districts means that the Secretary of State must consider the ORS 188.010(1) criteria not only within each district, but also among districts. Lehan Petitioners point to nothing in the record that demonstrates that the Secretary of State did not consider the relevant criteria, nor have they shown that the Secretary of State's choices as to how to draw the districts were those that no reasonable Secretary of State would have made.