SD lawmakers approve new 35 voting districts

PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota lawmakers voted mostly along party lines Monday to redraw the boundaries of the state's 35 legislative districts with a plan minority Democrats said will put them at a disadvantage in elections for the next decade.

Republicans, however, insisted the redistricting plan was fair and not intended to give their party an advantage.

"Most of us put politics aside and did what is best for the people of South Dakota," said Senate Republican Leader Russell Olson of Wentworth, a co-chairman of the Republican-dominated committee that put the plan together during meetings held over the summer and fall.

"I'm very proud of the fact that we could have been more partisan and chose not to be," Olson said.

Assistant House Democratic Leader Mitch Fargen of Flandreau said he is happy with most of the new districts, but believes boundaries in three areas — the northeastern corner of South Dakota, Sioux Falls and Rapid City — were drawn "for the benefit of the Republican Party of South Dakota and not the citizens of South Dakota."

The Legislature must redraw the boundaries of legislative districts every decade to reflect population changes reported by the census. The ideal district would contain 23,262 people, but courts have said each district can vary by 5 percent above or below that number.

Republicans were able to dominate the redistricting process because they have a 30-5 edge over Democrats in the Senate and a 50-19 advantage in the House, which also has one independent. The plan was approved 50-18 by the House and 31-4 in the Senate, with both votes falling largely along party lines.

Each district elects one senator and two House members at large, except for two Senate districts that are split into two House districts, each of which elects its own House member. Those single-member House districts were created to give American Indian voters a better chance to elect candidates of their choice.

The debate in both chambers focused on Democratic plans to change districts in northeastern South Dakota, Sioux Falls and Rapid City. All the proposed changes were defeated in a series of party-line votes.

Democrats sought changes in the northeastern corner of the state because the Republican plan throws five incumbent Democrats into a district that could only elect three lawmakers.