Des Moines, Iowa — The Iowa Senate has overwhelmingly approved the second plan for redrawing the boundaries for Iowa’s congressional and legislative districts.
The vote was 48-to-one. Senator Roby Smith, a Republican from Davenport, lashed out at Democrats who’ve accused the GOP of planning to abandon the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency’s maps and drawing districts to favor Republicans.
Senate Republicans rejected the first set of maps on October 5th. Smith says the second redistricting plan has better population distribution and the proposed districts are more compact. Senator Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, says the plan meets all of the constitutional and legal requirements.
And Jochum says the plan meets that goal. Jochum and Smith were the only senators to speak during debate. Republican Senator Ken Rozenboom of Oskaloosa was the only senator to vote against the plan. A Republican-led House committee has already given the second set of district maps the green light on a 22-to-one vote. A vote by the full House is yet to come.
