Nevada assemblyman sues over Democratic redistricting plan

A Nevada assemblyman has filed a suit challenging the redistricting program approved by a Democratic bulk during a peculiar league this month, contending it dilutes the votes of residents of agrarian Pahrump.

The lawsuit, filed by Assemblyman Gregory Hafen II, R-Pahrump, and a constituent, John Koenig, was filed Nov. 17 successful Carson City District Court, 1 time aft the maps were approved by a Democratic bulk successful some houses and signed into instrumentality by Gov. Steve Sisolak. It was filed by Carson City lawyer Karen Peterson, and names the authorities and Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske arsenic plaintiffs.

The suit seeks to forestall Cegavske from holding elections nether the recently redrawn maps.

“(Senate Bill 1) has the effect of denying voters an adjacent accidental to enactment successful the governmental process of electing candidates of their prime successful usurpation of authorities and national law,” the suit claims. “SB 1 appears to beryllium an intentional utmost partisan gerrymander that dilutes votes and prevents voters from electing candidates of their choice.”

Specifically, it complains that the caller maps disagreement the metropolis of Pahrump — presently contained wrong Hafen’s Assembly District 36 — into 2 abstracted Assembly districts. Koenig, presently a Hafen constituent, would beryllium placed successful neighboring Assembly District 33 successful the caller map.

According to authorities figures, Assembly District 36 presently has 42.8 percent progressive Republican voters and 22.8 percent Democrats. Under the caller map, the territory would turn somewhat little Republican, with 43.8 percent GOP voters versus 26.5 percent Democratic voters. In existent terms, the Republican-over-Democrat vantage would shrink from 10,548 to 8,709 voters.

Assembly District 33 would besides spot much Democrats, falling somewhat from a 54.5 percent to 14.1 percent Republican vantage implicit Democrats to 53.9 percent to 16.8 percent, respectively. But successful existent terms, the Republican-over-Democrat vantage successful the territory would turn from 13,833 voters to 17,285.

The fig of nonpartisans would shrink successful some districts nether the Democratic plan.

“More than fractional of Pahrump is being moved into Assembly District 33 with an municipality country of metropolitan Las Vegas and Clark County, which has the effect of lumping agrarian Nye County voters and metropolitan Clark County voters successful 1 territory contempt sharing small to thing successful common,” the suit claims. “This divided appears to beryllium aimed astatine ensuring Pahrump voters bash not person capable voting powerfulness to articulation unneurotic and elite a campaigner of their choice.”

The suit asks the tribunal to state the recently redrawn maps unconstitutional, specifically citing Article 2, Section 1(A), the voters measure of rights, which says voters person the close “to adjacent entree to the elections system, without discrimination, including without limitation, favoritism connected the ground of race, age, disability, subject service, employment oregon overseas residence.”

An email to Hafen sent to his authoritative legislative code was not instantly returned, and Cegavske’s bureau couldn’t instantly beryllium reached for remark connected the litigation. Cegavske volition beryllium represented by the lawyer general’s office.

The suit volition beryllium heard by Judge James T. Russell, the aforesaid justice who successful 2011 oversaw a sheet of peculiar masters that drew governmental territory lines aft then-Gov. Brian Sandoval doubly vetoed plans passed by the Democratic Legislature that year.

This is simply a processing story. Check backmost for updates.

Contact Steve Sebelius astatine SSebelius@reviewjournal.com. Follow @SteveSebelius connected Twitter.