SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - ABC 4 News has learned that members of the legislature's Redistricting Committee have already begun drawing political maps.
This despite the fact that the committee won't hold its first public hearing until Friday night.
Utah's Redistricting Committee must draw new political boundaries for U.S. Congressional seats, the legislature and the State Board of Education.
But, from what ABC 4 is being told, the drawing has already begun, apparently, without much help from the public.
ABC 4 is being told that new maps with new political boundaries have already been drawn for all 29 Utah Senate districts.
This, even though the Redistricting Committee won't hold its first public hearing until Friday night in Lehi.
On this week's "On the Record," Congressman Jim Matheson paints a picture of two redistricting efforts.
1) What the public sees when the Redistricting Committee meets.
2) What the public doesn't see happening in the political backroom.
Matheson told ABC 4,
"I think most of the decisions are actually going to be made, as they always are on this process, behind closed doors."
Even though the final maps won't be drawn for three of four months, sources tell ABC 4 that at least one state senator (if not more) could end up in a newly redrawn district which would make it much harder to win reelection.
As for Congressman Matheson, he's once again calling for an independent commission to draw new political boundaries.
He also says he would support a ballot measure to create such a commission.
The entire interview with Congressman Matheson can be seen on "On the Record" Sunday morning at 7:30 on ABC 4.
