[Southsider2k12]

http://www.ibj.com/indiana-redistricting-m...S/article/26472

Indiana lawmakers are expected on Monday to release to the public the new political maps proposed for the state's 150 legislative and nine congressional districts.

Republicans have complete control of the once-a-decade redistricting process this year with their state House and Senate majorities.

The proposed districts are to be unveiled during separate meetings Monday of the Senate and House election committees.

The legislators heading up the redistricting process have been tight-lipped about the plans, saying that few lawmakers will see the full maps much ahead of their public release. Republican leaders expect to have the new districts approved by the Legislature's April 29 adjournment deadline.

One possible political target of redistricting is Democratic Congressman Joe Donnelly, who narrowly won re-election last year to his northern Indiana seat.

[Southsider2k12]

Part of LP Co gets carved off of the Donnelly district...

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/P...ict-1331654.php

The congressional map puts all of Elkhart County and most of Kosciusko (Koss-ee-OSS'-koh) County into Donnelly's current district and removes part of Democratic-leaning LaPorte County and all of Kokomo. Donnelly narrowly defeated Republican Jackie Walorski last year, and she has already announced plans to run in the 2012 election.

[taxthedeer]

Does Pete Viscolsky become Michigan City's new Congressman?

[Southsider2k12]

ALCO 97 will be carrying the house meeting on the proposal live startibng at 10:30am

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.in.gov/legislative/senate_repub...psed_Senate.jpg

The proposed new map for state senate.

[Southsider2k12]

Proposed Congressional Map

[Southsider2k12]

Indiana Republican Party

Announced at the House unveiling of maps: 8 districts with no incumbent, 3 with 2 GOP incumbents, 3 with 2 Democrat incumbents & 4 with 1 GOP & 1 Dem member incumbent.

[Southsider2k12]

Proposed State House plan

http://www.in.gov/legislative/house_republ.../pdfs/House.pdf

[Southsider2k12]

At the state level, according to Representative Pelath's his district seems pretty similar to the one he has had in recent years. He did note that this was not the case with many districts in the rest of the state, but he was reserving overall comment until he had a chance to statistically analyze the map-makers decisions.

Senator Arnold was not so lucky in his district. He noted that he will be losing Michigan City and the western 2/3rds of Coolspring Twp.

He said he was, "terribly disappointed and upset about this."

"I can only hope after my meeting and hour ago with the chairman of the elections committee in the senate that perhaps they will revisit this. My displeasure has been voice and noted...now we wait and see"

Thanks to both for offering their thoughts!

[taxthedeer]

At the state level, according to Representative Pelath's his district seems pretty similar to the one he has had in recent years. He did note that this was not the case with many districts in the rest of the state, but he was reserving overall comment until he had a chance to statistically analyze the map-makers decisions.

Senator Arnold was not so lucky in his district. He noted that he will be losing Michigan City and the western 2/3rds of Coolspring Twp.

He said he was, "terribly disappointed and upset about this."

"I can only hope after my meeting and hour ago with the chairman of the elections committee in the senate that perhaps they will revisit this. My displeasure has been voice and noted...now we wait and see"

Thanks to both for offering their thoughts!

I guess what this all means is that Pete Visclosky becomes our new U.S. Congressman and Karen Tallian becomes our new state senator.

Seems like they did a really good job of mixing Michigan City in with Lake and Porter counties, I'll betcha next thing they try to push is making the Northwestern part of La Porte county a non-attainment ozone quality area which will mean mandatory auto emission testing for Michigan City motorists.

[lovethiscity]

I guess what this all means is that Pete Visclosky becomes our new U.S. Congressman and Karen Tallian becomes our new state senator.

Seems like they did a really good job of mixing Michigan City in with Lake and Porter counties, I'll betcha next thing they try to push is making the Northwestern part of La Porte county a non-attainment ozone quality area which will mean mandatory auto emission testing for Michigan City motorists.

The State of Indiana is going to be the biggest loser. Donnelly's dist. has been almost perfectly divided. No one party has been able to hold the seat for long as of late, forcing our representitive to represent all or say goodbye quick.

[Southsider2k12]

http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/a...donnellys-r.php

As Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) continues to mull a Senate bid, Indiana Republicans have released their proposal for new House district maps, and as most observers expected, Donnelly's 2nd District stands to become more Republican, per the South Bend Tribune:

The existing 2nd District stretches 90 miles from the state line to Kokomo. It includes all of LaPorte County, a Democratic stronghold that was important in Donnelly's slim victory over Republican Jackie Walorski in last year, and it covers only part of Republican-leaning Elkhart County.

The new 2nd District would include only part of LaPorte County, shedding Michigan City and the western part of the county. It also would lose Kokomo and pick up all of Elkhart County and part of Republican-heavy Kosciusko County.

One of the main factors in Donnelly's Senate versus House calculus is how his district is redrawn. In 2010, Donnelly narrowly defeated Walorski by just over 2,500 votes out of over 189,000 votes cast. What's more, Walorski, a former state representative, has already said she is running again in 2012.

The proposed changes still have to win approval, but if they do, a Senate race which another prominent Democrat is not likely to enter may be Donnelly's best option.

For his own part, Donnelly said Republicans aimed to make the district more friendly for themselves, but he remains confident that a Democrat can win in the 2nd District -- even if that Democrat isn't himself.

"Even though it appears that politics played a role in the drawing of this map, I am confident that a Democrat can win in the new 2nd Congressional District. Then-Senator Obama performed well in this district in 2008, earning 49% of the vote," said Donnelly. "Also, it is not uncommon for a Democratic candidate in Indiana to outperform his or her nominee for president. I did it in 2008, outperforming then-Senator Obama by 13 points, and I know it can be done again.

Donnelly also said that he would have a decision on his own political future very soon.

"As for my future plans, my decision will ultimately be based on how I can best serve the people of this great state. I will soon be sitting down with my wife and children and expect to make a decision in the coming weeks," he said.

Here is a useful link to the map being proposed by Republicans in the state Senate.

[Southsider2k12]

I guess what this all means is that Pete Visclosky becomes our new U.S. Congressman and Karen Tallian becomes our new state senator.

Seems like they did a really good job of mixing Michigan City in with Lake and Porter counties, I'll betcha next thing they try to push is making the Northwestern part of La Porte county a non-attainment ozone quality area which will mean mandatory auto emission testing for Michigan City motorists.

I think they have to do that by county, don't they? I think that is also based on air quality.

[taxthedeer]

The State of Indiana is going to be the biggest loser. Donnelly's dist. has been almost perfectly divided. No one party has been able to hold the seat for long as of late, forcing our representitive to represent all or say goodbye quick.

I agree with lovethiscity, When push comes to shove Visclosky/Tillian will put the needs of their constituents in Lake county first, Porter county second and western La Porte county third.

I would hope if this proposed redistricting comes to fruition that Michigan City/La Porte county would be able to field a viable candidate for these positions and vote the two incumbents out.

I think they have to do that by county, don't they? I think that is also based on air quality.

If they could change the district map, they could change the regulations pertaining to auto emission testing and make it district wide. This was one of the issues that was raised by the Illiana tollway remonstration group a few years. When I moved here over 18 years ago from Portage I sure was glad I no longer had to go through that hassle anymore.

[Southsider2k12]

Could there be a second life for Sen Arnold with Michigan City?

http://insendems.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/...y/#unemployment

Redistricting update
Redistricting the state’s 150 legislative districts and nine congressional districts takes place every 10 years utilizing new census data. The General Assembly has placed an emphasis on redrawing the boundaries to create new districts that are compact, preserve communities of interest, and are competitive. Senate Democrats introduced their proposed statewide maps in March. House and Senate majority Republicans have now brought forth their redistricting proposals, which include numerous proposed changes to current districts and undoubtedly favor Republican control of both chambers. In the House, as many as 12 of the new districts have no incumbent, four districts have both a Democrat and a Republican incumbent, three districts include two Republican incumbents, and three districts include two or more Democrat incumbents. No incumbents were pitted against one another in the proposed Senate district map. These proposals are included in Senate Bills (SB) 256 and 258, and House Bills (HB) 1601 and 1062.

However, under the proposed Senate map, Michigan City has been excluded from the district Arnold now represents. “They could give me a district that is 90 percent Democrat, but if it doesn’t include my hometown of Michigan City, I am very displeased and disheartened. I have already had several meetings with key Senate Republicans who have assured me that they will re-evaluate Senate District 8 as currently drawn,” Arnold commented.

Maps of each proposal and an opportunity for constituents to engage and provide feedback are available at www.redistricting.IN.gov. Constituent input is also being sought at www.facebook.com/INRedistricting. The newly-drawn districts are expected to be approved by the April 29 session deadline.

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-an...dd764463c2.html

INDIANAPOLIS | The Senate Elections Committee on Thursday approved new boundaries for Indiana's Congressional and state Senate districts, while Democrats in the Republican-controlled House offered their own redistricting plan.

No changes were made to the proposed Northwest Indiana Senate districts, though state Sen. Sue Landske, R-Cedar Lake, the committee chairwoman, said she's considering a request from state Sen. Jim Arnold, D-LaPorte, and state Sen Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, to swap some precincts in LaPorte County.

The committee also left intact the proposed 1st Congressional district currently represented by U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Merrillville. His new district would include Lake, Porter and a strip of LaPorte County containing Michigan City.

Newton and Jasper counties, now a part of Visclosky's district, would become a part of the 4th district, currently represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita, a Munster native.

"It's kind of like putting a puzzle together sometimes, you just have to adjust here and a little bit there," Landske said.

The committee-approved maps now go to the full Republican-controlled Senate for a final vote next week.

In the House Elections Committee, Democrats presented maps they say do a better job keeping communities of interest together, which they contend will lead to more competitive elections than the maps proposed Monday by House Republicans.

"I don't believe the people in our state are looking for one-party rule -- on either side," said state Rep. Shelli VanDenburgh, D-Crown Point.

State Rep. John Bartlett, D-Indianapolis, said the Democrats' map creates 26 competitive House districts while the GOP map only has 14.

The House Elections Committee will vote Friday morning on which map to send to the full House.

Every 10 years, following the U.S. Census, legislative districts are redrawn to ensure a nearly equal population in each district.

[taxthedeer]

What is the exact physical district 1 & 2 congressional eastern boundry cutoff in La Porte county? It looks like west of the of U.S. 421 corridor and Michigan City, Westville, Wanatah, LaCrosse proper will shift to district 1 and the rest of La Porte county will remain in district 2. The map they shown above is very vague and doesn't show much detail.

[Southsider2k12]

Good question. I am asking to find out.

[Southsider2k12]

Donnelly named a "most endangered Democrat"

http://www.nationaljournal.com/top-10-most...ocrats-20110420

Indiana Republicans are on the verge of passing a plan that might just be enough to push the three-term Democrat into the state's Senate race. Under the initial legislative proposal, Donnelly's 2nd Congressional District would lose blue-collar Michigan City and Kokomo (which provided him his 2010 margin of victory) and pick up rural Elkhart and Kosciusko counties, two of the most conservative pockets of northern Indiana. Under the new lines, President Obama's 2008 share of the vote in the district would fall from 54 percent to 49 percent.

[Southsider2k12]

http://insendems.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/.../#redistricting

Redistricting: Senate Bills 256, 258

Legislation has been approved by the Senate to establish new boundaries for Indiana’s 50 Senate districts, 100 House districts, and nine congressional districts for the next 10 years. Senate Bill (SB) 256 includes the proposed Senate districts put forth by the Senate Republican majority. An amendment offered by Democrats including their proposed maps, which were based on a regional approach with an emphasis on logical boundaries and keeping neighborhoods, towns and other communities together, was rejected along a party line vote earlier in the week. Two other amendments offered by Democrats were also rejected. One would have allowed for the extension of the adoption of new maps to November to allow more time for public input. The third defeated amendment would have allowed the new maps to be reviewed by the U.S. Department of Justice for compliance under Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Acts of 1965 to ensure that minority voting rights are protected. SB 256 was approved by a vote of 36-13.

In addition, newly drawn congressional districts included in SB 258 gained approval by a vote of 37-12. Both bills now advance to the House for its consideration. The proposed House districts are also included in HB 1601 and the House proposed congressional districts are included in HB 1602. Those bills are scheduled to be heard in the Senate Elections Committee on Monday, April 25.

For more information on the redistricting process and to view the proposed maps, visit www.redistricting.IN.gov.