LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A Republican panel on Monday approved new boundaries for Arkansas’ state House and Senate seats.The Board of Apportionment unanimously approved the new district lines for the state’s 100 House and 35 Senate seats. The board is comprised of Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge and Secretary of State John Thurston, who are all Republicans. Republicans hold a majority in both chambers of the Legislature.
The redistricting maps were approved after the panel tweaked parts of the map that were released to the public a month ago.The newly-approved maps reflect all of Baxter County now in the district represented by Senator Scott Flippo of Bull Shoals. What is now District 17 will become District 23. It also includes all of Marion County, as well as portions of Boone, Fulton and Izard counties.
What is now House District 100 represented by Nelda Speaks of Mountain Home and falling completely in Baxter County becomes District 3 and stretches into Fulton County. A portion of Baxter County, including Cotter and Gassville, remains in what is now District 99 represented by Jack Fortner. It will be renumbered District 4. A small tip of southern Baxter County south of Norfork will be in what becomes District 27, stretching from Izard County into a portion of Stone and all of Searcy and Newton counties.
In the process of adopting the new district lines, Rep. Speaks tells KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot news Mountain Home remains whole within the new District 3 despite an earlier attempt to split it, and Lakeview does not move to what will be District 4, although both had been proposed.
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Rep. Speaks says she is excited about the final maps that pull the Jordan and Norfork areas into what will become District 3. These areas are currently in District 64 represented by John Payton of Wilburn in Cleburne County.
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The 2021 adopted legislative redistricting maps, including interactive versions, are available through the Board of Apportionment’s website.
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