Arkansas' Redistricting
Information



Arkansas Redistricting News

All information below is from early 2001

Arkansas� Political Lineup

 

1991

2001

Governor

D

R

State Senate

31D, 4R

27D, 8R

State House

88D, 11R, 1I

70D, 30R

US Senators

2D

1D, 1R

US Reps

3D, 1R

1R, 3D

Redistricting Deadline

The year following reception of information from the Census is the legislative deadline. There is no congressional deadline. The target date is October 1, 2001.

Who�s in Charge of Redistricting?

Congressional districting is handled by the state agencies and governmental affairs committees of the house and senate in the General Assembly. The Board of Apportionment handles legislative redistricting. This board consists of the Governor, who is chair, the Secretary of State and the Attorney General of Arkansas. The governor has veto power over the congressional plan only.

Districting Principles 

Principle

Congressional

State Legis.

Compactness

 

 

Contiguity

 

 

Political sub.

+

+

Communities

 

 

District cores

+

+

Incumbents

+

+

VRA � 5

 

 

+ = required                -- = prohibited             a = allowed

Public Access

The Board of Apportionment held hearings around the state from November to December of 2000. Congressional districts were considered in committee meetings held at the state capital and open to the public. The Board has a website, with maps, a schedule of hearings, and an area for citizens to make comments . The Secretary of State�s office is also likely to post the Board of Apportionment�s new map on its website. 

Political Landscape 

In 1991, with Democrats in full control of redistricting and holding three of the state�s four U.S. House seats, there were only minor boundary changes done in order to meet equal population standards. In 2001, Arkansas� legislature remains heavily Democratic and has sole responsibility for congressional redistricting. They likely will try to boost Democrats� chances of winning four House seats in 2002.

Legal Issues

A minority vote dilution challenge under section 2 of the Voting Rights Act was lodged against the Arkansas congressional district plan after the 1990 census. The suit failed. In 1992 and 1993, three suits were filed against the state legislative plan.

The first suit challenged the use of multi-member districts (there are two remaining multi-seat districts) and was dismissed by the court as not being unconstitutional per se. The other two actions were section 2 claims of vote dilution, both of which failed.

Legislation/Reform Efforts

Redistricting has been fairly noncontroversial because county lines generally have been respected. Senate Joint Resolution 4 would have required the apportionment of the state into 99 state districts and 33 state senate districts, but the legislation died in a Senate committee in 1999.

 


Irregularly Shaped District
District 2

81% white; 18% black; 1% Asian; 1% Hispanic

� Includes Little Rock

� Democratic incumbent

� Has the state�s highest median income, along with significant black, union, and university populations

 

Contact Information

Marty Garrity
Bureau of Legislative Research State Capitol, Room 315
Little Rock, AR 72201
501/682-1937
501/682-1936 Fax [email protected]

 

For more information:

National Committee for an Effective Congress' Redistricting Resource: Arkansas
-Overview
-Detailed analysis, including new congressional map

EMILY's List Congressional Redistricting Report: Arkansas
-Overview
-Arkansas Redistricting Chronicle

Glossary

Redistricting Provisions 2000

 



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