PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota’s Legislature has approved new political boundaries that are likely to shake up the Statehouse.
Moderate Senate Republicans championed the proposal.
The state’s population has shifted towards urban areas in the last decade and the map’s proponents argued that new legislative districts must reflect that change.
Among the changes are in District 32. Previous maps had the area split into three separate districts. It’s now one district.
Kellen Returns From Scout is a Lakota from Rapid City who has advocated for a contiguous district for the neighborhood.
He told SDPB Radio the heavily Native American and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods will see the benefits of better representation.
House lawmakers unsuccessfully pushed a map that would have kept legislative lines close to their current positions.
The proposal cleared the House by a handful of votes with a conservative group of Republicans opposing the redistricting proposal.
It easily passed the Senate.
