South Dakota's legislative districts, due for redistricting in November 2021.
YANKTON, S.D. (WNAX) — The first public hearings of the South Dakota House and Senate Legislative Redistricting Committees were held Monday in Box Elder and Mission.
During the Box Elder meeting, Kellen Brings From Scout, representing the Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association, told the committee expanding districts centered on the reservations would dilute their votes.
“Any boundaries other than the ones currently observed will abridge native communities’ ability to elect their candidate of choice,” Brings From Scout said.
Brings From Scout also told lawmakers the census numbers used to draw the districts are not accurate.
Sen. Mary Duvall of Pierre, who chairs her chamber’s committee, said the state constitution explicitly requires legislators to use census data in drawing new maps.
The committee also has meetings scheduled this week in Mobridge, Aberdeen, Watertown and Sioux Falls this week. The legislature meets for a special session on November 8 to approve a final map.
(Jerry Oster, WNAX, contributed this report.)
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