Legislative leaders say they’ve been told it will take the Legislative Services Agency 30 to 40 days to draw up a plan. In that case, House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, was likely correct in her prediction that “chances are good that we’re still talking about having this conversation in late September or October.”
The legislative redistricting will begin a domino effect for Iowa cities, counties, school districts and community colleges, Secretary of State Paul Pate said. When the Legislature approves a plan, cities have 60 days and counties 90 days to redraw ward and supervisor district lines.
“So clocks starts ticking and it just goes down the line” of political subdivisions, he said.
He also said, however, that those new district lines will be used for city and school elections beginning in 2023 — not this fall.
Although Iowa has completed congressional and legislative redistricting at the same time in previous cycles, the new U.S. House lines don’t have to be finalized until the filing period for candidates in the 2022 primary opens Feb. 28.
As uncertain as the redistricting timeline are its political implications.
Iowa doesn’t stand to lose congressional representation in this round of reapportionment, but changes in U.S. House district boundaries could make those districts more or less competitive.
