The Legislature completed its redistricting work Thursday with enactment of plans to redraw legislative and congressional districts that somewhat unexpectedly attracted support from members of both political parties. Four Democrats voted to enact the bill, and two chose not to cast votes on the measure. A legislative redistricting plan (LB3) that subtracts one senator from rural Nebraska and adds a urban senator in metropolitan Omaha in response to population growth tracked by the 2020 census was enacted on a 37-7 vote. Five of the seven dissenting votes were cast by senators who are Democrats, but eight Democrats voted for the proposal while another four chose not to cast a vote. The unexpected movement toward some agreement ran counter to expectations that the redistricting process would solidly divide senators along party lines even though they are elected on a nonpartisan basis to serve in Nebraska's unique one-house Legislature.

Source: Daily Sun September 30, 2021 19:30 UTC