We heard from Suzanne Geist, a member of the Nebraska Legislature Redistricting Committee on August 27, 2021 at Lincoln South Rotary Club.
Some of this information is from the State of Nebraska legislative page http://news.legislature.ne.gov/red/
The Redistricting Committee is established as a special committee of the Legislature in January of each year ending in the number 1. The committee is authorized to introduce and exercise jurisdiction over legislative bills and resolutions relating to redistricting and hold hearings regarding such legislation.
Suzanne pointed out that, because of COVID and the delay in receiving the data, the committee is getting started late - months after it should have been put in place.
The redistricting committee was appointed by the Executive Committee of the Legislature. The Executive Committee is elected by the Legislative body and are representative to the body and to the public.
The Executive Committee appointed these members to the Redistricting Committee:
Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, Chairperson
Sen. Carol Blood
Sen. Tom Briese
Sen. Tom Brewer
Sen. Suzanne Geist
Sen. Steve Lathrop
Sen. John Lowe
Sen. Adam Morfeld
Sen. Justin Wayne
Sen. Carol Blood
Sen. Tom Briese
Sen. Tom Brewer
Sen. Suzanne Geist
Sen. Steve Lathrop
Sen. John Lowe
Sen. Adam Morfeld
Sen. Justin Wayne
The first meeting of the Redistricting Committee will be Monday, August 30th, at 10:00 AM in Room 1113 of the State Capitol Building. This is an open meeting - the public is welcome.
It will be a full meeting to discuss a variety of issues including the operating procedures for the committee, if there will be sub-committees established, issuing assignments and deadlines.
Suzanne mentioned that she has not yet seen the data so she does not know what to expect. She noted that there has been a reduction in the rural population but how that affects the various urban areas is unknown. The data will be reviewed to see how it affects:
Congressional Districts
Legislative Districts
Public Service Commission Districts
Supreme Court Districts
State Board of Education
University of Nebraska Board of Regents
Legislative Districts
Public Service Commission Districts
Supreme Court Districts
State Board of Education
University of Nebraska Board of Regents
Suzanne indicated that, though redistricting can be a very controversial topic, the committee will work hard to make it acceptable to all. In redistricting everybody will win something and everybody will lose something. It is her hope that the committee can have a 9-0 vote at the end of the process.
The committee hopes to have the finished product to send to the rest of state by the end of September – that means voted on and approved by the legislature. Ideally the lines will be within county lines. But, if there is data to support a different line, it can be done. They just need to be able to defend it - with the data.
Once the state has drawn the districts the the local municipalities will draw the lines within their areas. They will have to be done with their district work by the end of December to meet filing deadlines for candidates.
Stay tuned on the Redistricting Committee at http://news.legislature.ne.gov/red/ which will be regularly updated.
BIO
Elected to Nebraska Legislature: 2016; re-elected 2020
Born Suzanne Henderson, Nov. 21, 1961, in St. Louis, Mo.
Education: Graduate of Pine Bluff High School, Pine Bluff, Ark., 1980; University of Nebraska-Lincoln (bachelor’s degree in journalism/broadcasting), 1984.
Family: Married Mark Bradford Geist, June 23, 1984; three children: Alexis Plouzek, John Geist and Derek Geist.
Occupation: Self-employed
Member: volunteer, Clinic With A Heart; volunteer, Lincoln Berean Church; volunteer, American Heart Association.
Honors and awards: BILLD fellow, Council of State Governments; Emerging Leaders Program, Darden University State Legislative Leaders Foundation.