'Make sure every citizen’s voice is heard'

On its face, the number seems fairly benign. That number is 35, the number of legislative districts lawmakers want to to solidify into the Idaho Constitution.

It’s a number that flattens further when you consider the number matches the count of legislative districts currently on the books: 35 districts, each with two representatives and a senator.

But those 35 districts — established as they might seem — will come under further scrutiny this November, when a proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution goes before the voters. Thirty-five districts, the amendment is asking — no more, no less.

Officially, the language voters will choose or reject this November is more specific.

“A ‘yes’ vote,” the ballot measure reads, “supports removing language in the state constitution that allows the legislature to have between 30 and 35 legislative districts and instead requiring the legislature to consist of 35 districts.”

As it stands now, Article Three of the Idaho Constitution — the part dealing with the state’s legislature — addresses the number of districts in two sections, Section Two and Section Four. Section Two reads as follows:

“Following the decennial census of 1990,” it states, “and in each legislature thereafter, the senate shall consist of not less than thirty nor more than thirty-five members. The legislature may fix the number of members of the house of representatives at not more than two times as many representatives as there are senator. The senators and representatives shall be chosen by the electors of the respective counties or districts into which the state may, from time to time, be divided by law.”

The state constitution further cements the idea of flexibility within districts with Section Four:

“The members of the legislature,” it reads, “following the decennial census of 1990 and each legislature thereafter shall be apportioned to not less than thirty nor more than thirty-five legislative districts of the state as may be provided by law.”

Voting ‘yes’ in November would make a few noteworthy changes.

For starters, in both clauses, the “decennial census of 1990” would be updated to 2020, establishing a new timeline for state scholars and history buffs to mark. A ‘yes’ vote would then eliminate Section Two’s “not less than thirty nor more than,” getting rid of any kind of sliding movement and affixing a permanent number of districts to 35. Likewise, a ‘yes’ vote would then make the same adjustment to Section Four while also removing its closing language, “as may be provided by law.” The new language in both reads:

“Following the decennial census of 2020, and in each legislature thereafter, the senate shall consist of thirty-five members. The legislature may fix the number of members of the house of representatives at not more than two times as many representatives as there are senator. The senators and representatives shall be chosen by the electors of the respective counties or districts into which the state may, from time to time, be divided by law.”

“The members of the legislature,” Section Four would further read, if passed, “following the decennial census of 2020 and each legislature thereafter shall be apportioned to thirty-five legislative districts of the state.”

Idaho has enjoyed exactly 35 legislative districts since 1992. House Joint Resolution 4, introduced in February to the House and Senate floor before being overwhelmingly approved, was — for many legislators — an easy decision in an important year.

“For me it was a no-brainer,” said Rep. Jim Addis, R-Coeur d’Alene, “because it ensures appropriate representation for the people. That’s especially relevant for the people in North Idaho this particular year. With the 2020 census coming, we should expect to see pretty big increases, especially up here in North Idaho...The bottom line is, it’s much better to make sure every citizen’s voice is heard.”

To change the Idaho Constitution, a joint resolution had to pass by a two-thirds majority in the legislature — which it did by a resounding 65-3 margin in the House and an equally overwhelming 31-4 in the Senate — before going to the people for a simple majority up-or-down this November.

While only a few in the Idaho House and Senate voted against the resolution, their rationale was varied. The Idaho Republican Party, less than two months before the joint resolution hit the House floor, posted its resolve to keep the number of districts between 35 and 45, the reasoning Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, said she voted no.

“As Republicans,” the party announced in its January platform resolutions, ”we believe that government closest to the people is the best form of government and smaller legislative districts are the best way to accomplish government close to the people.”