1 minute read
Opinion
Against the backdrop of Census data delays and a packed legislative session, Oregon lawmakers are embarking on the once-a-decade process of “redistricting,” in which they redraw the lines for state House and Senate districts, along with the U.S. Congressional Districts based on shifts in population.
In order to evenly distribute the population, each Oregon Senate district will need to be around 138,00 people and each House district will need around 69,000 people. Central Oregon’s districts are far over those marks and will need to shed numbers. But while experts predict that these districts will shrink, they will likely stay true to shape.
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Central Oregon’s House districts are known as the “donut” and “donut hole.” House District 53, or the donut, makes up much of Deschutes County, including the more conservative-learning regions of Redmond, Sunriver, Tumalo and Deschutes River Woods. District 54, otherwise known as the donut hole, was carved out of District 53 and includes most of the more liberal-leaning Bend, the county’s population center. These two districts make up Oregon’s Senate District 27.
In the past 10 years, according to estimates from the American Community Survey, Bend’s District 54 has seen a population increase of nearly 15,000 people, growing from 63,563 to 78,480 residents. The surrounding District 53 has also seen significant growth with an increase of almost 10,000 people, rising from 64,805 to 74,480 residents.
These districts have looked like a donut since the 1990s but have shrunk as the population has grown. Judy Stiegler, a political science professor at OSU-Cascades, represented Bend’s District 54 from 2009 to 2011.
“(District 54 has) shrunk in size geographically, but the population base has stayed the same,” said Stiegler, who refers to herself as the “one-term wonder.” Until Rep. Jason Kropf (D-Bend) flipped the seat this year, Stiegler had been the only Democrat to represent District 54 since 2011, even though the number of registered Democrats in the
By Oregon Legislative Policy and Research Office
