Small towns may be hurt by redistricting

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

To the Editor:

Every 10 years following the federal census, state legislatures are required to redistrict all elected seats that are not statewide elected offices. This includes federal House of Representatives seats, and state Executive Council, Senate, House and county commissioner seats.

In New Hampshire, I have been appointed a member of the Special Committee on Redistricting. This committee will recommend to the New Hampshire Senate and House of Representatives a redistricting plan for all elected offices. In accomplishing this we must follow state and federal law. Unfortunately, in the redistricting of New Hampshire House seats, the federal law is in conflict with our Constitution. As such we must follow federal law in cases where there is a conflict between state and federal law.

We have the largest state legislature, the most democratic state in the country with one state representative for every 3,291 citizens. In other states the ration can be tens of thousands for each state representative. None the less, if our Constitution is in conflict with federal election law we must follow federal law. As such we will not be able to give many small towns having a population of 3,291 or more their own representative.

For Milford, population 15,115, and Amherst, population 11,201, the federal restrictions will not present a problem. While the House redistricting plan has not been presented to the legislature it seems certain that Amherst will have three seats exclusively, Milford four seats exclusively, and have an overriding district, called floateral district, and share one seat between the two towns. Currently, Milford and Amherst are joined together in one district with eight House seats.

What will happen in the case of the small towns surrounding ours, namely Mont Vernon, Lyndeborough, Hollis and Brookline, has not been determined as of this date. Once there is a determination, of even a probable determination, I will communicate the redistricting plans for all local towns.

ROBERT ROWE

Amherst

The writer is a state representative for Amherst and Milford.