Lawmakers starting to redraw district lines

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - The process of redrawing North Dakota’s legislative boundaries has begun. On Thursday, state lawmakers were trained on how to use the software to make the new maps.

They will be using a software called Maptitude, which will use Census data to help lawmakers create evenly-populated districts.

This isn’t the first time lawmakers used computers to test-run their map ideas, but some of the lawmakers commented on the level of training among their colleagues.

“I think there’s a variety of people on the committee that some have more and some have less,” Sen. Ray Holmberg, R-Grand Forks, said.

The Census data won’t be available to them for another few weeks.

After that, they are expected to decide the new lines during a special session in November.