Hammer talks redistricting, map changes
The Arkansas State Legislature recently went through the redistricting process that takes place every 10 years after the census is completed. The state legislature is tasked with redrawing the lines for congressional representatives while the governor, attorney general and secretary of state, the Arkansas Board of Apportionment, handle the state legislature lines.
State Sen. Kim Hammer, who represents District 33, which covers parts of Saline County and southwestern Pulaski County, has participated in the redistricting process twice. Hammer was elected to the Senate in 2018, after serving in the Arkansas House of Representatives for eight years. In 2011, he was a freshman in the House of Representatives, when the Democrats controlled both houses of the state legislature.
Hammer said that he spent the process in 2011 on the sidelines as the Democrats were still in control.
“They didn’t have room at the table,” Hammer said.
This year was the first time since reconstruction that the GOP was in power when the lines were being drawn. Hammer was able to play a more important role in the process this time around. He mentioned that his main point of focus going into redistricting was to stop any efforts to split Saline County or move it out of District 2, which is represented by Congressman French Hill.
There was an effort to split Saline County this year; however, it did not happen. One of the maps that seemed to gain some momentum wanted to split Saline County down Interstate 30.
“In simple terms, it stunk,”
Hammer pointed out.
Hammer also talked about the process as a whole.
“It starts with a map. The maps have to meet certain criteria. Some maps met the criteria; some didn’t,” Hammer added.
Some of the criteria Hammer mentioned were keeping counties together, looking at farmland and economic interest, to name a few.
The website for the Arkansas
Board of Apportionment lists the criteria and goals of redistricting: one person, one vote: balancing of each of the legislative districts every ten years, adherence to Section two of the Voting Rights Act which prohibits discrimination based on race, color or language minority and adherence to the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment to name a few. Some of the others include things like minimum partisanship, the “eyeball test” which refers to the shape of a district, the core of the existing district and communities of interest. Communities of interest are described on the Arkansas Board Apportionment website as “commonalities of economical, social, political, cultural, ethnic or religious interests.”
Maps were submitted
to the House and Senate Committees on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs. There was a high volume of maps submitted this year. Hammer was the Senator sponsor of one of the maps Rep. Nelda Speaks submitted, which received high praise due to not splitting any counties. The map, however, did not make it out committee and was never brought to a full vote. The House would eventually vote to use another map submitted by Speaks, H.B. 1982, with amendments.
This map controversially split Pulaski County three ways and also split Sebastian County two ways. Hammer had wanted to keep as many counties whole as possible but said one of the main reasons behind the splitting of Pulaski County was the high concentration of population in the area. This map would pass both houses of the legislature and is now listed as Act 1114 of 2021.
Redistricting for Congressional Districts is not the only part of the process. State legislators, like Hammer, are at the mercy of the Arkansas Board of Apportionment who draws the lines for the state legislature. The map just released by the board removes parts of Pulaski County and East End from Hammer's district, due to the growth Saline County
has seen over the past 10 years. Hammer said he hates to see those areas he represents go, but spoke highly of what it means for Saline County.
There could still be court challenges and potential changes made to these maps, if a court rules them unconstitutional, the map could be thrown out altogether or they could be the exact maps created.