Legislative Redistricting Committee holds listening tour stop in Watertown  (Audio)

October 13, 2021
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–South Dakota House and Senate Committees that are tasked with drawing the state’s new legislative district boundaries held a listening session at Lake Area Technical College Tuesday night.

It’s a process that’s done every ten years, based on updated census numbers.

The vice chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee is Republican Senator Jim Bolin of Canton.

Bolin gave KWAT News an update on where committee members are at in trying to agree on what the new legislative map will look like….

Bolin says the goal of some committee members is to keep counties whole when it comes to legislative district boundaries, but in some cases, that’s just not possible…

There are three competing proposals in the Senate Redistricting Committee, while House members have just one plan they’re working on.

District Four State Representative Lana Greenfield of Doland told the committee she favors a map proposed by Representative Drew Dennert of Aberdeen that keeps her district intact…

The full Legislature has to approve the final map at a November 8th special session, along with approval from Governor Noem.

If an agreement cannot be reached, the South Dakota Supreme Court will have the final say.