§ 28-2-116 — Legislative districts generally; definitions; legislative findings

Wyoming § 28-2-116

• Jurisdiction: Wyoming
• Title 28: Legislature
• Ch. 2: LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS OF MEMBERS

Text

(a) As used in W.S. 28-2-116 through 28-2-119:
(i) "Census block" means a geographic area of the
state of Wyoming specified by the United States bureau of the
census in accordance with the 2020 decennial census and
identified uniquely by census block number;
(ii) "Voter tabulation district" or "VTD" means a
geographic area of the state of Wyoming specified by the United
States bureau of the census in accordance with the 2020
decennial census and identified by Wyoming VTD name and number;
(iii) "This act" means W.S. 28-2-116 through 28-2-
119.
(b) As used in W.S. 28-2-118 and 28-2-119 unless the
context otherwise requires:
(i) "Blocks" designates the entire census block as
numbered by the United States bureau of the census for the 2020
decennial census within the named VTD and county is a part of
the legislative district;
(ii) "(Name of) County" designates either that the
entire named Wyoming county is within the legislative district
or that a portion of the named Wyoming county as specified is
within the legislative district;
(iii) "District (number)" designates the legislative
district number assigned to a house or senate legislative
district from which a legislator is elected under this act;
(iv) "VTD" designates either that the entire voter
tabulation district as named by the United States bureau of the
census for the 2020 decennial census within the named county is
a part of the legislative district or that a portion of the
named voter tabulation district within the named county as
specified is a part of the legislative district.
(c) W.S. 28-2-118 creates legislative districts for the
Wyoming senate and W.S. 28-2-119 creates legislative districts
for the Wyoming house of representatives.
(d) The secretary of state shall maintain and make
available for public inspection in a hardcopy or electronic
format, or both, during regular business hours:
(i) The United States P.L. 94-171 data for the 2020
decennial census received by that office from the United States
bureau of the census; and
(ii) The list and geographic description of the
legislative districts for the Wyoming senate as printed in
"Attachment B" as referenced in W.S. 28-2-119(c) and enacted
into law and the list and geographic description of the
legislative districts for the Wyoming house of representatives
as printed in "Attachment A" referenced in W.S. 28-2-119(b) and
enacted into law.
(e) The legislature finds that:
(i) The deviations in population between legislative
districts in this act are required to recognize county
boundaries, communities of interest, common economic interests
and historical representative practices in Wyoming;
(ii) This act further recognizes the difficulties in
representation caused by geographic boundaries and the rural
nature of Wyoming;
(iii) This act keeps whole more political
subdivisions than other redistricting plans considered by the
Wyoming legislature;
(iv) Through keeping political subdivisions and
communities of interest as whole as possible, this act provides
for effective and efficient election administration;
(v) The residents of Sheridan county school district
number three are a community of interest with the residents of
Johnson county through shared institutions and political
history. The residents of Sheridan county school district number
three typically conduct their business in Johnson county and
have a shared economic interest with Johnson county. The
residents of Sheridan county school district three have a shared
educational interest with Johnson county. These connections and
communities of interest between residents of Sheridan county
school district three and Johnson county do not exist between
the residents of Sheridan county school district three and
Campbell county;
(vi) The factors listed in this subsection that
create population deviations among legislative districts in this
act are all legitimate considerations reasonably incident to the
effectuation of a rational state policy.