Redistricting

In January of each year ending in the number one, a special committee is established for the purposes redistricting (Rule 3, Section 6). The Redistricting Committee of the Legislature receives staff support from the Legislative Research Office (LRO) including equipment, training, and legal advice. The committee is authorized to introduce and exercise jurisdiction over legislative bills and resolutions relating to redistricting and hold hearings regarding such legislation. Once drafts of redistricting plans are approved by the Redistricting Committee, LRO conducts statistical tests to ensure the maps contain legal and proper boundaries (such as contiguity and compactness). Many of the recent redistricting changes to legislative boundaries were due to growth in Nebraska’s population centers. In the time between 2010 and 2020, the population in Nebraska grew from 1,826,341 to 1,961,504 individuals - a 135,163 person increase. At the same time, the five largest cities in Nebraska grew by a combined 131,449 people: Omaha (77,093), Lincoln (32,703), Bellevue (14,039), Grand Island (4,611), and Kearney (3,003). Among the many boundary changes, the 2021 redistricting process ultimately moved legislative District 36 from central Nebraska into southern Sarpy County. Once the work of the special committee is complete, LRO coordinates with the U.S. Census Bureau’s Redistricting Data Program to prepare for the next decennial redistricting  process.