OMAHA WORLD HERALD — Nebraska lawmakers wrapped up a special session Thursday by approving new congressional, legislative and other political district boundaries.
Gov. Pete Ricketts immediately signed the package of legislation, which passed with an emergency clause, meaning that the redrawn districts will take effect Friday.
Lawmakers had aimed to finish the once-a-decade redistricting process by Thursday, so that counties, school districts and other local subdivisions have time to redraw their election districts, and local election officials can make changes to voting precincts.
The deadline also gives potential candidates time to decide whether to run for office. Candidates can start filing on Jan. 5 for the May 10 primary election.
State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, the Republican chair of the Redistricting Committee, praised colleagues and legislative staff for their hard work in getting the job done within a compressed timetable.
"It's been a hard month for everyone," she said. "Everyone had to give, in an incredibly tight framework, and I thank you all."
Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, the Democratic vice chair of the committee, said this year brought the most transparent and public redistricting process ever in Nebraska, despite the difficulties of getting information out in a timely manner.
"This was a very frustrating process, it was a process, but it got done," he said.
Under the new congressional plan, all of Douglas County remained in the 2nd Congressional District, along with western Sarpy County. The more rural Saunders County was added, moving out of the 1st District to the 2nd.
Gretna, Springfield and Papillion’s southern neighborhoods stayed with the Omaha-dominated district, where they are currently, and will continue to be represented by Rep. Don Bacon in Congress.
La Vista and the bulk of Papillion were shifted out of the 2nd District and into the 1st District, where they will be represented by Rep. Jeff Fortenberry. Bellevue and Offutt Air Force Base already are in the 1st District, where they would remain. Both Bacon and Fortenberry are Republicans.
The legislative plan moved District 36 from central Nebraska to western Sarpy County. The change means State Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg will not represent the people who elected him during his last year in office. He is term-limited.
But the shift of population from rural Nebraska to its urban areas, especially the Omaha metro area, meant that a legislative district also had to be moved. Williams agreed to the change so lawmakers could get the redistricting done.
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