Redistricting proposal checks out

The exhausting effort to redraw Montana’s 100 state House districts reached a decision point last week when the bipartisan District and Apportionment Commission finally selected a map for public consideration.

The proposal submitted by two Democrats on the five-member panel won out after commissioner Maylinn Smith broke a tie vote. The map now goes out for public comment, with revisions to follow based on that feedback. Once finalized, the map will be put into place for the 2024 election.

The selected proposal would bring some noteworthy changes to Northwest Montana voters and candidates, particularly in the north Flathead Valley where a new district would marry a portion of Whitefish to Columbia Falls.

This new district splits Whitefish generally along Baker Avenue to the railroad tracks, then traverses east encapsulating everything between the tracks and Montana 40 all the way to Columbia Falls.

It’s one of a handful of “competitive” districts proposed on the Democrats’ state map, with a very slight conservative lean. Vote tallies in the district favored all Republicans in the 2020 election, except for the U.S. Senate race where the tally leaned toward Democrat Steve Bullock over Sen. Steve Daines.

On the selected map, the west and northern half of Whitefish gets pulled into a vast rural district that includes Olney, Polebridge, West Glacier and Essex voters. That district has a strongly liberal lean, similar to Whitefish’s current House District 5.

That leaves the Canyon communities of Hungry Horse and Coram moving into a strong conservative voting block that connects to southern Evergreen. The remainder of the Flathead is divided up in districts that, not surprisingly, all favor Republicans.

Statewide, Republicans would likely hold 60 of the 100 House seats under the proposal based on past voting behavior. Currently, the GOP claims 68 seats in the House.

Outside of a few oddities that deserve scrutiny — for instance, Ronan would be in the same liberal-leaning district as Missoula’s Upper Rattlesnake — there are no obvious red flags for Northwest Montana on the proposed map. It appears to meet the criteria of being equal in population, and geographically compact and contiguous.

Take a look for yourself. It’s worth weighing in now to ensure your voting voice is fairly represented in future state Legislatures.

The proposed map is available to view at davesredistricting.org. Public comments can be submitted online at mtredistricting.gov.