Lawsuit challenges Idaho's new congressional district map

By KEITH RIDLER

Associated Press

BOISE — The new congressional district map approved by the Idaho Commission for Reapportionment violates Idaho law, a lawsuit filed Wednesday with the Idaho Supreme court said.

It's the fourth lawsuit against the redistricting commission and Secretary of State Lawerence Denney, but the first challenging the new map redrawing the state’s two congressional districts. The three other lawsuits challenge the new map redrawing the state’s 35 legislative districts.

Christopher Pentico of Elmore County in the latest lawsuit contends the new congressional district map violates Idaho law because it splits six local voting precinct boundary lines in Ada County.

Pentico in the lawsuit said Idaho law allows splitting precincts in the legislative district map, but not the congressional district map.

“The statute requires that all district boundaries ‘shall’ retain local voting precinct boundary lines,” the lawsuit states. “ The statute permits the Commission to make a finding that it cannot complete its duties for a legislative district by fully complying with its provisions, but by the plain language, this does not apply to congressional redistricting.”

Pentico contends the only congressional district map that meets all statutory and congressional criteria for congressional reapportionment is the one he submitted.