2005 Idaho Code - 72-1506 — CRITERIA GOVERNING PLANS

                                  TITLE  72
                      WORKER'S COMPENSATION AND RELATED
                        LAWS -- INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION
                                  CHAPTER 15
                        COMMISSION FOR REAPPORTIONMENT
    72-1506.  CRITERIA GOVERNING PLANS. Congressional and legislative
redistricting plans considered by the commission, and plans adopted by the
commission, shall be governed by the following criteria:
    (1)  The total state population as reported by the U.S. census bureau, and
the population of subunits determined therefrom, shall be exclusive
permissible data.
    (2)  To the maximum extent possible, districts shall preserve traditional
neighborhoods and local communities of interest.
    (3)  Districts shall be substantially equal in population and should seek
to comply with all applicable federal standards and statutes.
    (4)  To the maximum extent possible, the plan should avoid drawing
districts that are oddly shaped.
    (5)  Division of counties should be avoided whenever possible. Counties
should be divided into districts not wholly contained within that county only
to the extent reasonably necessary to meet the requirements of the equal
population principle. In the event that a county must be divided, the number
of such divisions, per county, should be kept to a minimum.
    (6)  To the extent that counties must be divided to create districts, such
districts shall be composed of contiguous counties.
    (7)  District boundaries should retain, as far as practicable, the local
voting precinct boundary lines to the extent those lines comply with the
provisions of section 34-306, Idaho Code.
    (8)  Counties shall not be divided to protect a particular political party
or a particular incumbent.