Kansas enacted new congressional district boundaries on Feb. 9 when both chambers of the state legislature overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s (D) veto of a redistricting plan the legislature passed. Kansas was apportioned four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census. This map will take effect for Kansas’ 2022 congressional elections.
The Kansas House of Representatives overrode Kelly’s veto 85-37 with all votes in favor by Republicans, and 36 Democrats and one Republican voting to sustain the veto. The Senate overrode Kelly’s veto 27-11 on Feb. 8 along party lines. Kelly had vetoed the congressional map on Feb. 3. The state Senate originally approved the congressional district map proposal on Jan. 21 and the state House of Representatives approved it on Jan. 26.
Andrew Bahl of the Topeka Capital-Journal wrote that the “maps were hotly contested, largely for the decision to split Wyandotte County and put part of the Kansas City, Kan., area in the 2nd Congressional District, a move that endangers the state’s lone Democrat in Congress, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, and, Democrats argue, unfairly divides minority communities.”
As of Feb. 9, 31 states have adopted congressional district maps, and one state has approved congressional district boundaries that have not yet taken effect. Federal or state courts have blocked previously adopted maps in two states, and 10 states have not yet adopted congressional redistricting plans after the 2020 census. Six states were apportioned one U.S. House district, so no congressional redistricting is required. As of Feb. 9 in 2012, 36 states had enacted congressional redistricting plans.
States have completed congressional redistricting for 315 of the 435 seats (72.4%) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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