Topeka — House Democrats on Friday filed a legislative redistricting proposal they said was fairer than a Republican plan.
Democrats said their plan offers more balance between rural and urban areas, protects communities of common interest and collapses fewer districts.
Republicans are in charge of the redistricting process by virtue of their 30-10 majority in the Senate and 76-49 majority in the House.
Democrats say that Republicans are trying to redraw legislative district lines in a way to eliminate more Democrats from the Legislature.
Republicans have defended their proposal as fair and said that had they wanted, they could have hurt Democrats more.
Every 10 years, the Legislature must redraw district lines to accommodate changes in the population so that all districts are nearly identical in population.
The Republican plan for the Kansas House would collapse 10 districts all held by Democrats into five districts, which would force the 10 Democratic incumbents, mostly from rural areas, to run against one another.
The Democratic proposal collapses four districts three represented by Democrats and one by a Republican into two districts.
"The majority party is determined to steamroll an irresponsible map through the Legislature, and rural Kansans are going to suffer," Rep. Troy Findley, D-Lawrence, said.
Findley, ranking Democrat on the redistricting committee, also said Republicans have refused to work with Democrats on a district plan, instead opting to use their majorities to push through their own proposals.
"The redistricting process up to this point has not been a collaborative effort at all," he said.
Republicans have accused Democrats of wanting to complain more than work with them.
In Lawrence, the differences in the Democratic and Republican plans for the House are minimal compared to other areas. A new district, under the Republican proposal, would include northern Lawrence, Eudora and parts of DeSoto and Lenexa. Under the Democratic plan, the new district would be contained in Johnson County.
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