Indiana redistricting plan criticized as aiding Republicans

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INDIANAPOLIS — Republicans will keep greater control of Indiana’s Legislature than merited by the number of votes they receive, according to a political analyst who on Thursday called the state’s proposed new election districts among most skewed in the country.

The analysis came as a legislative committee held a second day of public hearings on the Republican-drawn maps, with several people criticizing the fact that the new election district maps were released less than 48 hours earlier.

The redistricting plan review conducted for the voting-rights group Women4Change found Republicans would likely win 69 of the 100 Indiana House seats while typically receiving 56% of the vote. George Washington University political scientist Christopher Warshaw said the proposed maps boosts Republicans by creating overwhelmingly Democratic districts to limit their impact.

Republicans now hold a 71-29 majority in the Indiana House.

While Warshaw called the proposal an extreme partisan gerrymander, Republican leaders maintain they focused on not splitting up cities and counties and that the new maps reflect the state’s political leanings.

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