HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

151st GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 32

PROVIDING THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS FOR THE DELAWARE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE DELAWARE STATE SENATE.

WHEREAS, every 10 years, the House of Representatives is tasked with redrawing the representative districts, consisting of 41 house districts;

WHEREAS, every 10 years, the Senate is also tasked with redrawing their legislative boundaries, consisting of 21 senate districts; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of Delaware should be able to provide public comment during the redistricting process, as soliciting public input is critical to ensuring an open redistricting process; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Census Bureau provides the State with the data necessary to complete the State’s redistricting process, including counts of population by race, ethnicity, voting age, housing occupancy status, and group quarters population; and

WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays in receiving this critical data and the U.S. Census Bureau has estimated that the redistricting data will not be sent to the State until late summer; and

WHEREAS, the 151 ^st General Assembly will convene a special fall session to ensure a focused, open, and inclusive redistricting process.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 151st General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that:

(1) The General Assembly will make information available to the public on the legislative website so that the public understands the redistricting process;

(2) The House of Representatives and the Senate should allow the citizens of Delaware opportunities to provide public comment, including the submission of plans, regarding the drawing of representative lines;

(3) The House of Representatives and the Senate should provide public hearings to allow the citizens of Delaware an opportunity to provide comment on a final proposed plan; and

(4) The final plan or plans to be voted on by the Delaware General Assembly should be a product of a public process.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each representative district and senate district should insofar as is possible:

(1) Be formed of contiguous territory;

(2) Be nearly equal in population;

(3) Be bounded by major roads, streams or other natural territories; and

(4) Not be created so as to unduly favor any person or political party.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives and Senate in creating legislative districts should adhere to the requirements of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives and Senate and should complete their redistricting processes by no later than November 7, 2021.

SYNOPSIS

This House Concurrent Resolution provides for an open redistricting process that allows for public participation in the 2021 redistricting process. Additionally, this House Concurrent Resolution calls for specific guidelines that the House of Representatives and the Senate should follow during their redistricting processes. It sets November 7th as the final deadline for the redistricting processes to be completed in order to provide new legislative boundaries one year before Election Day 2021.