Opinion ID: 1239200
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: masters' proposed interim reapportionment plan

Text: On May 26, 1972 the Masters were presented with the following instructions to be followed in fashioning an interim plan for the Court's consideration: 1. By use of the official Census of 1970, you should establish a population base for the State of Alaska. This population base should include military personnel who were enumerated in the 1970 Census. 2. You should make an inquiry to determine whether or not the number of nonresident military personnel included in the 1970 Census can be determined. If a determination can be made, then you should subtract the number from the total which you have arrived at in paragraph 1 above. You should also state the methods in detail by which you arrived at this determination. 3. Once you have determined the population base, you should divide the same by 40. This will give you the ideal number of persons to be included in a single member House district. You should then divide the population base by 20 which will represent the ideal population for a single member Senate district. 4. You should then establish House and Senate election districts containing a number of persons as close to the formula as feasible. 5. In establishing House and Senate districts, an effort should be made to make the districts correspond, where feasible, with the approximate boundaries set out in the 1971 reapportionment plan. No designated seats will be established within a multi-member district if multi-member districts are established. In establishing House and Senate districts you should, wherever feasible, create a district of contiguous and compact territory containing as nearly as practicable a relatively integrated socio-economic area. 6. If there are any substantial deviations from the population norms, express, specific reasons should be set forth. In accordance with these instructions the Masters on June 12, 1972 submitted a preliminary version of a proposed reapportionment plan. The plan and supporting report were reviewed with the Court and a revised proposed plan prepared incorporating changes suggested by the Court. The changes are reflected in Tables A and B. TABLE A POPULATION  REPRESENTATION CHARACTERISTICS OF HOUSE DISTRICTS MASTERS' PROPOSED INTERIM PLAN House House 1970 No. of % Variation District District Census Seats From Norm Number Name Population ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 302,361 _______ = 7,559 population norm per Representative 40 1. Ketchikan 11,717 2 -22.5 2. Prince of Wales-Petersburg-Wrangell 7,522 1 - 0.5 3. Sitka 7,558 1 0.0 4. Juneau-Lynn Canal 15,768 2 + 4.3 5. Prince William Sound 7,435 1 - 1.6 6. Matanuska-Susitna 7,670 1 + 1.5 7. Anchorage, Northwest 38,818 5 + 2.7 8. Anchorage, Spenard 23,310 3 + 2.1 9. Anchorage, Northeast 38,595 5 + 2.1 10. Anchorage, South 23,310 3 + 2.8 11. Cook Inlet 14,770 2 - 2.3 12. Kodiak (Urban) 7,568 1 + 0.1 13. Western Gulf of Alaska-Aleutian Islands 7,352 1 - 2.7 14. Bristol Bay 7,361 1 - 2.6 15. Bethel 7,671 1 + 1.5 16. Yukon-Koyukuk-Kuskokwim 7,635 1 + 1.0 17. Fairbanks 45,664 6 + 0.7 18. Nenana-McKinley 7,419 1 - 1.9 19. North Slope 7,766 1 + 1.3 20. Bering Straits 7,660 1 + 1.3 _______ __ 302,361 40 ======= == TABLE B POPULATION  REPRESENTATION CHARACTERISTICS OF SENATE DISTRICTS MASTERS' PROPOSED INTERIM PLAN Senate Senate 1970 District District Census No. of % Variation Number Name Population Seats From Norm ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 302,361 ________ = 15, 118 population norm per Senator 20 A. Ketchikan 11,717 1 - 22.5 B. Alexander Archipelago-East Gulf of Alaska 15,080 1 - 0.3 C. Juneau-Lynn Canal 15,768 1 + 4.3 D. Prince William Sound-Matanuska-Susitna 15,105 1 - 0.1 E. Anchorage 123,825 8 - 0.1 F. Cook Inlet 14,770 1 - 2.3 G. Kodiak-Aleutians 14,920 1 - 1.3 H. Bristol Bay-Bethel 15,032 1 - 0.6 I. Interior Alaska 15,054 1 - 0.4 J. Fairbanks 45,664 3 + 0.7 K. North Slope-Bering Strait 15,426 1 + 2.0 _______ ___ 302,361 20 ======= ===