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Hoosiers Split On Redistrictiong Reform In Latest Ball State Survey

Brandon Smith
/
IPB News

Hoosiers are split over whether Indiana lawmakers should draw their own districts – as they currently do – or an independent commission should be responsible for redistricting.

That comes from the latest edition of the 600-person Ball State Hoosier Survey.

The survey shows just 46 percent of Hoosiers want an independent commission to draw the state’s district lines, while 45 percent want to keep the status quo.

It gets a lot more polarized by party affiliation. Sixty-three percent of Democrats want the independent commission, while 58 percent of Republicans want lawmakers to keep drawing their legislative districts.

READ MORE: Republican Legislative Leaders Cast Doubt On Shadow Redistricting Commission

Ball State political scientist and Bowen Center for Public Affairs Managing Director Charles Taylor said that’s no surprise in a state with a GOP supermajority legislature.

“When it comes down to the nuts and bolts of how we draw it, I think people sort of retreat to what’s in the interest of their political party,” Taylor said.

The latest result is a change from 10 years ago. In 2010, 51 percent of Hoosiers wanted lawmakers to keep drawing the lines, while just 35 percent wanted reform.

Indiana legislators will redraw district lines in 2021.

Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.