INDIANAPOLIS | Two pair of Northwest Indiana representatives may have to run against each other in 2012 to keep their seats in the Indiana House.
The Republican-sponsored redistricting plan released Monday puts state Rep. Chet Dobis, D-Merrillville, in the same district as state Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary. The plan also blends the current districts of state Rep. Nancy Dembowski, D-Knox, and state Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte, into one.
Overall, the GOP plan creates eight House districts statewide that have no incumbent representative, including the proposed 15th District in southern Lake County. That area is currently represented by state Rep. Don Lehe, R-Brookston, whose district would move farther south.
The state Senate map does not put any incumbents into the same district, but district shapes are shifted to reflect changes in population.
Every 10 years, following the U.S. census, legislative districts are redrawn to ensure nearly equal population in each district. State law only requires the General Assembly draw maps so that each part of a district is contiguous.
House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said Republicans also tried to draw compact districts that keep communities of interest together.
State Rep. Dan Stevenson, D-Highland, wasn't buying that claim as he looked at the district precinct list. His new district would include portions of Crown Point, Griffith, Highland, Hobart, Merrillville, Schererville, Ross Township and St. John Township.
Dobis and Smith also were carefully reviewing the proposed precincts for their shared 14th District which is mostly split between Gary and Merrillville and includes a few precincts in Calumet Township and Crown Point.
"It's not a district I can't win. All of that, including the Glen Park area, are portions of districts that I've represented for years," Dobis said.
Dobis and Smith each said he'd prefer not to have to run against a fellow Democrat to keep his seat, but both said they'll run.
"I enjoy what I do, I want to continue to serve, so it will be up to the public," Smith said.
The oddly-shaped districts that were a hallmark of the 2001 maps are largely gone in favor of districts that follow county and township lines -- except in Lake and Marion counties.
For example, the proposed 2nd District of state Rep. Earl Harris, D-East Chicago, appears to be swallowing a chunk of the 1st District of state Rep. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond.
Meanwhile Stevenson's 11th District stretches from the Porter County line, wraps around the Smith/Dobis 14th District and meets up with the 12th District of state Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster, nearly at the state line.
The House and Senate elections committees will separately take public testimony Wednesday on their chamber's redistricting plan.
Because Republicans control both chambers of the General Assembly these proposed maps likely will be very similar to the final maps expected to be adopted next week.