As Texas and California push at their congressional gerrymandering battle, Nevada experts warn of increasing partisan boundaries and advocate for an independent redistricting commission.

Carson City

Nevada's history of redistricting has been marked by partisan disputes, with both Democrats and Republicans seeking to shape electoral maps to their advantage following each census. Experts note that this process, known as gerrymandering, can impact voter representation and often leads to less competitive general elections, as districts become safe for one party.

Proposals for an independent commission to draw district lines have been repeatedly blocked from reaching the ballot due to lawsuits, but advocates continue to push for reform. The next scheduled redistricting is set for several years from now, but if an independent commission is established, it could significantly alter the state's political landscape in future elections.

Nevada's had its own redistricting rumbles

But what exactly does this all mean for us right here in Southern Nevada? Well, senior political reporter Steve Sebelius looks back at the history of redistricting in our state and finds out when it could happen next. Democrats returning to the state of Texas to continue their fight against a redistricting designed to squeeze out a few more Republican seats, and California Governor Gavin Newsom trying to do the opposite in the Golden State. Here in Nevada, we've had our share of redistricting drama over the years, but before we get into that, why should locals care, and what does all this mean to you? It directly impacts your representation. And so if you're feeling frustrated because you don't feel that the government represents you and your interests, it's because of gerrymandering. It's because they don't have to ask you for your vote. That's College of Southern Nevada history professor Sondra Cosgrove. She notes that like many states, elected officials here approve district maps after every census. That means in most cases, they get to pick their voters rather than the other way around. As a consequence, UNLV political science professor David DeMoore says it's more partisanship. You essentially make more and more districts safe for one party, the real competition becomes in the primary. We know that primary voters tend to be a little more ideological in that the candidates are going to move away from the center where most voters are located. Here in Nevada in 2001, Republicans controlled the state senate and the governor's mansion and drew congressional maps friendly to the GOP. In 2011, then-Governor Brian Sandoval vetoed a Democratic plan and a panel of special masters drew the lines, which turned out to favor Democrats. And in 2021, a Democratic legislature and governor approved Democratic maps, which ironically drew objections from progressives and Democratic Congresswoman Dina Titus. Still, Democrats have kept the majority for most of the last 30 years, even though currently they're almost even in registration with Republicans. So is that gerrymandering? DeMoore says a lot depends on where people live. You also have to consider how those constituencies distribute themselves geographically. So we know in the urban core, in the most dense parts of Clark County, those tend to be overwhelmingly Democrat. Those districts, no matter how you draw them, are going to be Democrat. Still, Princeton University's gerrymandering project gave Nevada's congressional maps an F grade for favoring Democrats. Cosgrove said that lends support for her idea of an independent commission to draw district lines. She's tried it before. Three times, in fact. The lawsuits have kept it off the ballot. But Cosgrove tells me she's going to try it again. I'm going to fight them tooth and nail to say, don't you dare sue us this time. You give the voters the ability to have a discussion about this and vote on it. And if you don't and you take me into court, I'm going to contact every national news organization focused on Texas and say, you know what, you should come and see what they did in Nevada because our maps are gerrymandered here, too. The next redistricting in Nevada isn't scheduled until 2031. But if Cosgrove gets her way and Nevada voters approve an independent redistricting commission, the redrawn election maps may look very different when voters head to the polls in 2032. I'll stay on top of this story and bring you updates when they happen. For now, reporting in studio, I'm Steve Sebelius.

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Jerusalem

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Kyiv

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Breakdown