Why I’m Voting “Yes” on HJR 4

At the end of your ballot is a proposed state constitutional amendment HJR 4 that will affect the number of state legislative districts Idaho may have. HJR 4 passed the Idaho House (65–3) and Senate (31–4) with broad bipartisan support during the 2020 legislative session, and is now proposed to voters for their approval. Ballot measures can be confusing, especially without much public outreach, and the politics are often unclear to voters who learn of the issue for the first time when they review their ballot. Here’s why I’m supporting HJR 4.

What the Idaho Constitution currently says: The Idaho Constitution allows the state legislature to be comprised of no less than 30 legislative districts, but no more than 35. Idaho currently has 35 legislative districts.

What does HJR 4 do? HJR 4 fixes the number of state legislative districts at 35. That’s it.

Why is this being proposed now? Next year is redistricting, when new congressional and state legislative districts are drawn by Idaho’s independent redistricting commission. The commission will determine how many state legislative districts we have, and could reduce the number of state legislative districts unless voters approve HJR 4.

Why fix the number of districts at 35?

1. HJR 4 keeps legislators accessible to their constituents-Idaho is growing fast, and fewer districts means larger, more populated districts. If we want our legislators to be more accessible to their constituents, it’s difficult to justify reducing the number of districts to less than 35.
2. HJR 4 is good for Republicans and Democrats.-Republicans in rural areas where population has declined relative to the rest of the state will see their districts consolidate next year. This means larger districts in rural areas, which can sometimes make legislators less accessible to their constituents. If the number of districts is reduced, this will exacerbate this consolidation and rural districts will be much larger than they are now. Democrats in competitive legislative districts in Moscow, Sun Valley, and Pocatello benefit from more legislative districts. If the number of legislative districts is reduced, the size of districts will increase and more conservative voters will be incorporated into their districts, and could reduce Democratic representation in the state legislature. Democrats already have fewer seats in the legislature (about 20%) than their share of the statewide vote (about 40%), so they can’t afford to lose any seats in these competitive districts.
3. HJR 4 adds certainty to the redistricting process-By fixing the number of districts at 35, the redistricting commission cannot reduce it, and neither can a court. The state constitution has a number of provisions for the redistricting process, one of which requires counties to be kept as intact as possible in a redistricting plan. This leaves the door open for a legal challenge. Imagine the constitution remains in its current form, and next year the redistricting commission hears public testimony and agrees on a publicly favored 35-district plan. However, a disgruntled party could be unhappy with the plan and challenges it in court. If that person or entity could prove to the court that the commission could have drawn a redistricting plan with fewer county splits and less districts, but didn’t, the court would be bound to throw out the more popular 35-district plan, in favor of a plan with fewer districts. There is a lot at stake politically in redistricting, so it’s natural for the process to wind up in litigation. So if there is an opportunity for Democrats and Republicans to agree to reduce the possibility of litigation, without compromising our representation or the integrity of the commission, we should take it.

Why you should vote for HJR 4

HJR 4 amends the Idaho Constitution to fix the number of state legislative districts at 35, so that the number of districts cannot be reduced in redistricting next year. You should vote for HJR 4 because it will keep legislators accessible to their constituents in a growing state, is good for both Republicans and Democrats, reduces the chances for litigation in redistricting and adds certainty to that process.