Cape County carved four ways by judges

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau County will be divided among four state House districts instead of two for the next decade.

New legislative redistricting maps for both the House of Representatives and Senate were drawn by a panel of six state appeals court judges and submitted to the Missouri secretary of state's office Thursday, two weeks ahead of the Dec. 27 deadline. The new districts will be in use beginning with the 2002 legislative elections.

The carving up of Cape Girardeau County is one of the most significant features of the House plan.

The 158th District of state Rep. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, will expand slightly to include nearly all of the city, leaving his district only slightly altered.

Voters in the rest of Cape Girardeau County, currently served by term-limited state Rep. David Schwab, R-Jackson, will find themselves in one of the other three districts.

Schwab's 157th District will retain Jackson and the northern areas of the county but will also include most of Perry County, which is served by state Rep. Pat Naeger, R-Perryville. As Naeger is also term-limited, his seat will be up for grabs next year.

Dexter Republican state Rep. Rob Mayer's 159th District will move into southwest Cape Girardeau County and include Delta, Gordonville and rural areas west of Jackson.

While changes to the 14 House districts in Southeast Missouri are significant, alterations to two of the region's three Senate districts are relatively minor.

Judges' split decision

The judges -- three named to the bench by Democratic governors and three by Republicans -- were unanimous on the Senate plan but split 4-2 on the House map. The two dissenting judges are Democratic appointees.

Mike Kelley, executive director of the Missouri Democratic Party, said he needed time to analyze the maps to fully gauge the potential statewide impact.

"I really can't tell yet because I don't have the political data to back it up," said Kelley. "I am deeply concerned that only four of six judges signed off on the House map. It really makes me wonder if there was true compromise."

John Hancock, executive director of the state Republican Party, said the maps put the GOP in a strong position to win control of both chambers of the General Assembly.

"While legislative boundaries alone cannot guarantee Republican majorities, we are confident that this plan submitted by the judicial commission gives us a legitimate chance to accomplish our goals," Hancock said.

When the legislative session begins next month, Republicans will have an 18-15 majority in the Senate, while Democrats will hold an 86-76 advantage in the House. Each chamber will have one vacant seat. The seats were last held by St. Louis Democrats.

The projected political performances of the new districts are expected to be made available today.

No court challenge

In presenting the plans, Judge Robert Ulrich, the panel's chairman, refused to discuss how he and his colleagues arrived at their decisions. Ulrich said the judges agreed to keep the content of their deliberations secret.

"It's inappropriate to discuss the private comments of those involved in the process," Ulrich said. "It would be unfair, so we're not going to do it."

Ulrich did say the maps cannot be challenged in court. "This is the final product. It is not appealable," he said.

The judges took over the process in September after two bipartisan commissions, one for each chamber, deadlocked along party lines.

Ulrich said the judges are confident the maps meet all legal and constitutional requirements. However, Ulrich said he expects many people in both parties will be unhappy.

"We realize we may not have pleased anybody," Ulrich said. "That is the nature of the process."

Legislative districts must be redrawn following every census to reflect population shifts. Ideal populations are 164,565 people for Senate districts and 34,326 for House districts.

The 160th District, held by state Rep. Peter Myers Sr., R-Sikeston, will stretch from Sikeston to the Cape Girardeau city limits.

In another area change, Scott City residents will now have one representative -- state Rep. Lanie Black, R-Charleston. Black, of the 161st District, had shared the city with Myers.

On the Senate side, Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder's 27th District remains the same. The Cape Girardeau Republican represents Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Mississippi, Perry and Scott counties.

State Sen. Bill Foster, R-Poplar Bluff, added Ripley County to his 25th District. He retains Butler, Dunklin, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Stoddard and Wayne counties.

The 20th District, served by state Sen. Danny Staples, D-Eminence, moved to southwest Missouri, giving House Speaker Jim Krieder, D-Nixa, a prime district for a possible move to the Senate. Staples cannot seek re-election next year.

Much of Staples' old territory, including Carter, Iron, Reynolds, St. Genevieve, St. Francois and Washington counties, is now part of the new 3rd District, which moves from St. Louis. That district belongs to state Sen.-elect Harry Kennedy, a Democrat who won office Tuesday in a special election to fill a vacancy.

The switch means voters who otherwise would have chosen Staples' replacement next year will be without representation once Staples leaves until Kennedy's term ends in January 2005.

mpowers@semissourian.com

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