LAWTON – Approximately three dozen legislators and concerned citizens attended the “Redistricting Town Hall” at the Comanche County Farm Bureau office Monday night.
The Oklahoma Legislature will redraw legislative and congressional district boundaries this year using data compiled during the 2020 decennial federal census.
“It was an educational event,” said Rep. Trey Caldwell, chairman of the Oklahoma House of Representatives’ Southwest Oklahoma Redistricting Subcommittee. “We explained how the process works and how the public can provide input to that process,” the Lawton Republican said. “We also fielded questions and suggestions from the audience.”
Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, is vice chair of the Southwest Oklahoma Redistricting Subcommittee. Other members of the subcommittee are Reps. Marcus McEntire, R-Duncan; Brad Boles, R-Marlow; Gerrid Kendrix, R-Altus; Dick Lowe, R-Amber; Rande Worthen, R-Lawton; and Daniel Pae, R-Lawton.
The subcommittee’s region of responsibility encompasses 10 counties: Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Grady, Harmon, Jackson, Jefferson, Kiowa, Stephens and Tillman.
Rep. Ryan Martinez, R-Edmond, is chairman of the House’s State and Federal Redistricting Committee. Representative Pae is a vice chair of the committee.
T.W. Shannon of Lawton, former Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, was hired last fall by current Speaker Charles McCall to assist in the redistricting process.