Louisiana House of Rep's submission to Justice Dept w/cover letters

    LAW OFFICES OF 

QUIGLEY & SCHECKMAN 
631 ST. CHARLES AVENUE 

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70130 

TELEPHONE: 504-524-0016 

WILLIAM P. QUIGLEY IN ASSOCIATION WITH: 
STEVEN SCHECKMAN R. JAMES KELLOGG 

MARK S. GOLDSTEIN 

22 
January “3Q, 1982 

Napoleon B. Williams 
NAACP legal Defense and Educational Fund 
10 Columbus Circle 
New York, New York 10019 

Dear Mr. Williams: 

I am enclosing a copy of the Louisiana submission to the Justice Department 
on the House of Representatives Plan for your review. 

I hope everything is well with you. Please let me hear from you in the near 
future about the Congressional and House Plans. 

William P. Quigley 

ann for ya atl. J appricats ZL. 
Enclosures 

WPQ/ jag 

 



  

House of Represent: 
P. O. Box 44486 Baton Rouge, LA 

John J. Hainkel, Jr. LEGISLATIVE SERVICES 
Cr or of th ico danroecentativ a. Ea Speaker of the House of Re presentatives Fiscal Division 

Economic/Commerce Division 
David R. Poynter Legal Division 

Clerk of the House of Representatives Governmental Division 

January 15, 1982 

Bill Quigley 
ttorney at Law 

631.5t. Charles 
New Orleans, LA 70130 

Dear Mr. Quigley: 

In accordance with your request by telephone, we are enclosing 
following portions of the House of Representatives' submission to the 
Justice Department concerning reapportionment of House districts: 
(1) Statement of the reasons for the [reapportionment] change, and (2) 
statement of anticipated effect of change on members of racial minority 
groups. 

You will receive a statement under separate cover for costs of 
copying this material at the rate of ten cents per page. 

Sincerely yours, 

> 
/ 

: rz 

E. Anne Dunn 

Coordinator 

Governmental 

EAD/hr 

Enclosures  



    

(1) Statement of the reasons for the [reapportionment] 

The 105 districts in the Louisiana House of Representatives were 

redrawn by the legislature at its 1981 extraordinary session because 

population shifts had caused substantial numerical deviations among 

districts. Additionally, such changes were mandated by the Louisiana 

g constitution, Article 111, Section 6. 

‘his section constitutes a brief overview of the new redistricti 

plan and the factors considered by the House and its committees in 

drawing this pla The discussion of specific districts is divided 

the traditional geographic regions of the state: North Louisiana, 

Southwest Louisiana, Acadiana, the River Parishes, the Florida Parishes 

Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area, 

first reapportionment House 

Committee on House and Governmental Affairs adopted rules incorporating 

minimum requirements which had to be met for any redistricting proposal 

to be considered by the committee or its subcommittee on House of Re 

vs Pot nob ms. v5 ¥% FY AAT 3 2 “1 eo 4 v . 7 p aries od Te " sentatives Reapportionment. Two detailed memoranda discussing reappor- 

tionment jurisprudence and the Voting Rights Act were distributed to 

at this first meeting. Lengthy and detailed presenta- 

tions b s¢ legal staff on Reynolds v. Sims and its progeny and 
  

the requirements of the Voting Rights t were also discussed. Through- > 

the process of reapportionment, the committee and subcommit 

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remained highly ._ of the legal requirements ®...... 

particularly those related to numerical deviation and dilution of minority 

voting rights. 

The primary goal of House reapportionment was to equalize popula- 

tion insofar as possible. This is a difficult task in a state whose 

geography includes vast wetlands, swamps, bayous, canals, and rivers-- 

significant barriers to drawing compact and contiguous districts. Thus 

a changed district in one area of the state can cause a "ripple effect" 

which impacts across the state to a district where a major geographical 

boundary constrains further expansion. Much of the state's political 

geography--parishes, wards, and precincts--follows natural boundaries, 

often resulting in unusual configurations of--political subdivisions. 

Precincts and wards, the "building blocks" of reapportionment, are not 

square. Districts cannot be drawn to represent a neat grid. The precincts 

in Louisiana have great differences of population, ranging from one pre- 

cinct in Terrebonne Parish with only 61 persons to a precinct in Jefferson 

Parish containing over 11,000 persons. 

Additionally, the population growth in the state has not been 

uniform. In north Louisiana, where rural parishes predominate, popu- 

lation growth has not kept pace with the statewide increase, dictating 

the loss of a House seat in the north central region of the state. The 

most significant population loss in the state occurred in Orleans 

Parish, requiring that Orleans Parish lose three of its preseat repre- 

scntative districts. Jefferson Parish has experienced the most substan- 

tial population growth in the state and will acquire two new representa- 

tive districts, one on the cast bank of the Mississippi River and one on 

the west bank. Other areas of significant growth have been in the Florida 

parishes, particularly in southeast East Baton Rouge Parish and in St. 

Tammany Parish, necessitating the addition of a new House district in 

=e  



these two areas. 

Having as its primary goal equality of population among districts, 

the committee also gave major attention to preserving neighborhoods 

which share a community of interests. Districts were drawn whenever 

possible, to avoid combining rural and urban populations since their 

concerns are often dissimilar. A great deal of testimony at public 

hearings reflected the concern of metropolitan, suburban, and rural 

citizens that their concerns not be submerged in a district composed of 

greatly dissimilar areas. The committee thus continually balanced 

numerical equality with communities of interest when drawing district 

lines. The Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus presented several different 

proposals for House districts in several regions of the state and ulti- 

mately divided on the final plan.’ : 

The point of departure for the new House plan was the present plan, 

devised ‘by a special master and implemented by the federal district 

4:0 : . : 
court. Present districts were used as a base, and adjustments were made 

among districts to equalize district populations insofar as 

Due to population shifts, some district configurations are significantly 

different from the present districts. In creating new districts in 

regions with high population increase, the committee chose to create 

such districts in the specific area where the population growth had 

occurred. Additionally, and insofar as practical, the committee attempted 

to create districts with somewhat fewer persons than the "ideal district 

in areas of significant population growth, and districts at, or slightly 

above, the "ideal" in areas of declining relative population. 

The new House plan has reduced the statewide range of deviation 

from 110.7 percent prior to the redistricting act, to 9.7 percent (4.81% 

above, 4.897% below ideal district). Additionally, the populations of 

A  



RR SR TR Te 

the new districts are clustered close to the 40,038 population of the 

ideal district. Forty-five districts are within two percent of the 

ideal district population; twenty-two districts are between two and 

three percent; eleven districts are between three and four percent; and, 

only seventeen districts deviate between four and five perceat of ideal 

population. 

Rule IV of the committee articulated its view that the dilution of 

minority voting strength be impermissible: 

IV. 1. The dilution of minority voting strength is contrary to 
public policy. The right of meaningful political participation of 
minority citizens is recognized. Accordingly, any proposed 
apportionment plan, or amendment thereto, demonstrated to have the 
objective or consequence of diluting the voting strength of 
minority citizens is unacceptable. 

Throughout the formulation of the plan, the committee endeavored not to 

dilute extant minority voting strength which has led over the course of 

the last decadz to the election of ten black representatives. This task 

was complicated by the substantial population loss in Orleans Parish. 

The committee was also cognizant that federal jurisprudence suggests 

that it is permissible, although not legally mandatory, to study minority 

population concentrations so as to maximize minority representation. 

The committee heard extensive testimony expressing various concerns from 

black citizens. Views differed on the relative merits of "packing" or 

"dispersal" of minority population as means of preventing dilution of 

minority voting strength. 

In preparing its plan, and in receiving submitted plans, the committee 

attempted to balance numerous equities. In this light it reviewed 

proposals to maximize minority representation in light of such considerations 

as the following: (a) the cfficacy of the proposed district(s) in 

actually maximizing minority representation; (b) constitutional restrictions 

lp  



on equality of population; (c) the impact of proposals on the configuration 

of neighboring districts; (d) limitations of natural geography; and (e) 

its attempt, insofar as practical, to create districts of homogeneous 

neighborhoods and like social and economic characteristics. 

As reflected in the ensuing discussion, new minority districts were 

created pursuant to the above criteria in the River parishes area, Calcasieu 

Parish and Caddo Parish. However, based on such criteria, the committee 

rejected proposals for districts intended to maximize minority voting 

strength in the Delta area, East Baton Rouge Parish, the Acadiana region, 

the Alexandria area, and Orleans ‘Parish. 

North Louisiana (See statewide wap and metropolitan maps of Shreveport,   

Alexandria, and Ouachita Parish) 

The north Louisiana region includes the parishes of Avoyelles, 

Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, 

DeSoto, East Carroll, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, 

Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, S 

Tensas, Union, Webster, West Carroll, and Winn. 

With the exception of Caddo, Ouachita, and Rapides Parishes, the 

northern region of the state is generally an agricultural and timberland 

area, less densely populated than southern Louisiana. Over the past 

decade the area has experienced a population decline, reflecting the 

general tread toward outmigration in agriculturally intensive areas. 

This decline necessitated the loss of one representative district in 

north Louisiana. 

In Caddo Parish, population is sufficient to accommodate six full 

representative districts plus a shared district with portions of DeSoto 

Parish. Although Caddo Parish has grown significantly since 1970, the 

suburban population increase has outdistanced growth in the city of 

Shreveport.  



In the city of Shreveport, present District 2 has been a black 

majority district; that black majority is retained in the new redis- 

tricting plan. However, under the present plan as drawn by a court- 

appointed special master ten years ago, Districts 3 and 4 share the 

remaining central city black population concentration. The new plan 

unites these neighborhoods into District 3, which contains 70.5 percent 
= 

1 
black population and 60.9 percent black voter registration. As a result, 

two white incumbents reside in new District 4. Thus two districts in 

Caddo Parish now contain black population and voter registration majorities. 

Additional population shifts in this area required moving several 

precincts from District 1, which district was appreciably over the ideal 

figure, to District 7. New District 4 has been extended into the northern 

portion of present District 7 to accommodate suburban growth south of 

Q the city of Shreveport. New District 6 has expanded southward into the 

/, northern portion of present Districts 4 and 5, while new District 5 has 

shifted east and southeast into Ward 7 and Ward 8 of Caddo Parish. The 

reuainder of Caddo Parish, that is, the southern border with DeSoto 

Parish, remains in new District 7 with the majority of DeSoto Parish. 

The 1980 population figures show Bossier Parish with a population 

of 80,721 and Webster Parish with 43,631 population. The new plan for 

this areca maintains parish lines insofar as possible. New District 8 is 

contained wholly within the confines of Bos r Parish; slight popula- 

tion adjustments were necessary in the Barksdale Air Force Base area to 

bring this district within acceptable population tolerances. The remainder 

of Bossiar Parish and one preciact in the southwestern corner of Webster 

Parish form new District 9, and the rest of Webster Parish is included 

in new District 10.  



Natchitoches Parish contains 39,863 people and constitutes new 

District 23. Present District 24, which is composed of Red River and 

Sabine parishes and portions of DeSoto Parish, has experienced signif 

population growth since the 1970 census. Additionally, present Distri 

24 covers a wide geographic area, including Wards 3 and 8 of DeSoto 

Parish on the Texas border. The new redistricting plan deletes these 

wards and creates a more compact District 24 composed of Sabine Parish, 

Wards 5 and 7 of DeSoto Parish, and Red River Parish. Lignite extraction 

in the Red River area suggests significant economic growth in the future 

and, accordingly, the contiguous area of DeSoto Parish is retained in 

new District 24. 

District 11 is presently composed of Claiborne Parish and a large 

portion of Union Parish. The remainder of Union Parish, as well as one 

ward in the northernmost corner of Bienville Parish, has been added to 

new District 11, Lincoln Parish contains 39,763 persons and constitutes 

new District 12. District 13 is presently composed of Bienville Parish, 

Jackson Parish, and two wards of Ouachita Parish. The new District 13 is 

composed of the majority of Bienville Parish; the western portion of 

Jackson Parish, including the town of Jonesboro; and the western portion 

of Winn Parish, including the town of Winnfield. Precinct configuration 

Winnfield city area necessitated the splitting of Winn Parish. 

Fitty percent of the parish population is located in Ward 1, which 

includes the city of Winnfield, but the city is completely surrounded by OY 

one precinct; thus, the entirety of Ward 1 must be incorporated into a 

single district. 

The population of Ouachita Parish will accommodate three representative 

districts, and a portion of another district, As is the case in most of  



older metropolitan areas of the state, the growth in Ouachita Parish 

has been suburban, with relative population losses in the central 

metropolitan area of Monroe. Accordingly, precinct shifts were required 

in the Monroe area to bring Distriets 15, 16, and 17 within acceptable 

population ranges. House District 17 presently contains a black voter 

registration majority of fifty-seven percent. The 1980 census showed 

this district to be 7.25 percent above the ideal population; thus the 

rural portion of present District 17 south of the city was shifted into 

new District 15 in order to make new District 17 more compact and to 

retain and enhance its black majority. The black voter registration in 

new District 17 is 62.03 percent. : 

Present District 14 north of Monroe has experienced a population 

growth of almost 13,000 people over the decade. This district retains 

its portion of Ouachita Parish as well as that area 

within the vicinity of the town of Bastrop. The remainder of Morehouse 

Parish has been added to new District 18, which presently includes a 

portion of Morehouse Parish along with East and West Carroll Parishes. 

The central and Mississippi River delta area of the north Louisiana 

region has experienced substantial population loss, resulting in major 

shifting of district boundaries and the loss of one district. Numerous 

plans for this area were considered. Under the new redistricting plan, 

all of Madison and Richland Parishes and the northern portion of Tensas 

Parish form new District 19. New District 20 is composed of Caldwell 

and Franklin Parishes and portious of Jackson and Winn Parishes. New 

District 21 is composed of Catahoula and Concordia Parishes and the 

southern half of Tensas Parish. New District 22 is composed of Grant 

and Lasalle Parishes and a small rural portion of Rapides Parish.  



Various plans for a black majority district in the north delta area 

were considered by the committee. However, no plan presented demonstrated 

both acceptable population deviation and a black voter registration 

majority. 

Testimony during the public hearings suggested that a black district 

could be drawn with East Carroll, Madison, and Tensas parishes. However, 

population in the north delta has declined. Specifically, East Carroll 

Parish has gained white population, lost black population, and also lost 

total population; Tensas and East Carroll parishes have lost population 

generally and in both racial categories. Thus, the three parishes lack 

not only sufficient total population but also adequate black concentration 

for a statistically sound black majority district. 

A proposal submitted by one interest group that a black majority 

district be drawn along the Mississippi River including the three pre- 

viously mentioned parishes and a portion of Richland Parish was not 

acceptable to the committee because the population deviation of the dis- 

trict was 3.60 percent, substantially above the House committee rules, 

and the ripple effect of this plan was extensive. Additionally, the 

proposed district had a minimally black population majority (52.09 

percent) and did not have a black voter registration majority (43.08 

percent). 

The new redistricting plan has received substantial support from 

various minority businessmen and local governing officials in the area, 

including Richland Parish police jury (parish governing authority) 

members, a former chief of police in the city of Tallulah in Madison 

Parish, and mayors of the towns of Delhi in Richland Parish and Tallulah 

in Madison Parish.  



In Rapides Parish, population loss within the city of Alexandria 

necessitated substantial shifts to realign the three districts wholly 

within Rapides Parish. New District 27 encompasses the Pineville/Ball area 

north of Alexandria and like most suburban areas has achieved signif- 

icant growth during the last decade. This district formerly contained 

Ward 1 of Avoyelles Parish. Ward 1 has been reunited with the remainder 

of Avoyelles Parish to comprise new District 28, and the westernmost 

portion of present District 27 has been included in new District 22. 

New District 26 encompasses most of the city of Alexandria and has been 

expanded into a suburban area to the west in order to achieve an accept- 

able population range. New District 25 has acquired more portions of rural 

Rapides Parish so that the districts in Rapides Parish are statistically 

balanced without crossing the Red River. 

District 30, in the southwest region of the state, is presently 

composed of portions of Beauregard and Vernon Parishes to the west of 

Rapides Parish. To achieve an appropriate population total, new District 

30 has expanded into Ward 7 of Rapides Parish, a compact area historically 

akin to Vernon Parish, 

In the Alexandria area of Rapides Parish, plans were presented 

which would presumably have created a black majority district. One plan 

created a black majority population district in the city of Alexandria 

with a population of 36,385, significantly below the ideal population 

8: AR Pt : : ; : : range, Statistical refinement by legislative staff brought this district 

within the proper deviation but only with an approximately 45 percent 

black registration. Another plan to create a black majority district 

combined divergent communities of interest in rural Rapides Parish with 

: 89 1 ‘ y ay metropolitan Alexandria, Its black voter registration majority was 

m likewise less than fifty percent. These proposals gained no support 

-10-  



because both created only a marginally black district and one combined 

dissimilar urban and rural areas. 

Southwest Louisiana (See statewide map and metropolitan map of   

Charles) 

Louisiana, composed of Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, 

Cameron, Jefferson Davis, and Vernon Parishes, has a total population of 

313,109. With the addition of Ward 7 from Rapides Parish into new 

District 30, this area experiences neither a gain nor a loss in the 

number of representative districts. 

New District 31 required only minor population changes. Three 1 J I 8 

small precincts, split between two districts at present, were deleted 

from present District 31 and reunited in new District 32. Testimony was 

received at the public meetings from citizens in the DeQuincy/Starks 

area, and the 1y d by the mmittee represented 

concensus of the citizens 

A portion of present Di 2 in Calcasieu Parish was added to 

new District 33, which is completely located within that parish and 

centered in the Sulphur and Westlake areas. One precinct from present 

District 33 was added to new District 35, which includes Moss Bluff and 

a portion of the city of Lake Charles. 

The new redistricting plan substantially realigns the city of Lake 

Charles. Present Districts 34 and 35, both in Lake Charles, were drawn 

by the special master appointed by the federal court ten years ago. 

These present neighboring districts share the black population in the 

central ci 1 33.0° : black population and 

t black popula The committee 

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considered retaining the present configuration of these districts, 

although that configuration divides the central city Black neighborhood 

between two districts. However, the committee's policy of keeping 

neighborhoods together when numerical deviations so permit, so as to 

reate districts containing a community of interest, led to the adoption 

£ J ; 11 ! : oe : : of a working draft plan of the new districts which unites the city's 

black neighborhood in new District 34. This district is compact, and 

its creation does not do violence to surrounding suburban and rural 

areas, New District 34 has 67.0 percent black population and 62.1 

percent black voter registration. The result of creating this nonincumbent 

district was to place two white incumbents together in new District 35. 

This proposed configuration received a great deal of attention at public 

hearings, and the committee plan, ultimately adopted, received 

}2 
approval. 

Cameron Parish and part of Ward 3 in southern Calcasieu Parish 

up new District 36, with only minor changes to the present district, 

Acadiana (See statewide map and metropolitan Lafayette map) 

The Acadiana region includes the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, 

Lafayette, Lafourche, St. Landry, St, Martin,.St, Mary, 

Vermilion, and the Grand Isle portion of Jefferson Parish. The region 

is primarily rural, the city of Lafayette in Lafayette Parish and the 

city of Houma in Terrebonmne Parish being the only major metropolitan 

arcas in the region.  



The h f~the oil and pas exploration industry ofiithe state, 

area experienced significant growth in some areas and population los: 

in others The greatest growth in Acadiana has been in Lafayette Parish, 

which merits significantly more representation than it did ten years 

ago. In this region, as elsewhere, the new districts were drawn to 

accommodate population shifts, starting with the boundaries of those 

districts drawn by the federal court ten years ago. 

The committee and the House determined that, to accommodate de- 

creasing population in the rural areas of Evangeline, St. Landry, and 

Acadia Parishes, new Districts 38 and 40 should expand into the northern 

portion of St. Landry Parish presently within District 39. Under the 

new plan, District 39, presently representing part of Lafayette Parish ’ » «1 ; I 24 y 5 

additional rural precincts in Lafayette Parish. District 43 

gave up excess rural population, over 16,000 people, to neighboring new 

Districts 39 and 42, which had lost relative population over the decade. 

New District 4 s also drawn to accommodate some of the population 

growth in western Lafayette Parish. With little district realignment, 

new Districts 44 and 45 remain urban Lafayette districts. Present 

District 46, bounded on the east and south by wetlands, had excess 

population deleted by placing that portion of the present district in 

Iberia Parish, into the two other districts of Iberia Parish (Districts 

and 49) both of which needed to gain population. In general, new 

t boundaries in the arca comprised of Vermilion, lower Iberia and 

ot. Mary Parishes shifted to the east to create districts containing 

sufficient population. The districts in the parishes of Terrebonne and 

Lafourche accommodated population shifts among themselves without intruding 

boundaries of other traditional geographic regions, with the 

~] 3  



exception of Ward 3 in southern Assumption Parish, included in new 

District 51 because of its community of interests with the Amel 

Mary Parish. New District 54 retains the community of Grand 

a coastal island of Jefferson Parish whose only land bridge connects 

Lafourche Parish. 

1 : Boasediod was proposed in St. Landry Parish. 

( to be numbered 39, had a stated black population of 51.04 perce 

Statistical analysis showed that the black population of this di 

would be 51.01 percent, but black voter registration would be only 47.03 

percent. Additionally, this district was extremely oddly shaped and had 

the negative effect of splitting the city of Opelousas. 

A similar proposal’? considered St. Landry and Lafayette Parish as a 

whole. This suggested black district was numbered 44. Again, although 

the black population of the district was over 50 percent, the black 

voter registration was slightly under 50 percent. Both proposals did 

violence to surrounding districts, creating lengthy and oddly-shaped 

districts. Neither created a majority black voter registration district 

and both proposals had minimally black population majorities. 

15 SaaSid ; p : A plan was also suggested to create a black majority district in 

the city of Lafayette. This plan caused a serious ripple effect throughout 

Acadiana, shifting areas which had traditionally been together into 

other districts in a domino sequence. These proposals for black districts 

in Acadiana created marginally black districts, usually with white voter 

In St. Landry and Lafayette Parishes the percentage of 

population has declined from 30.0 percent in 1970 to 26.6 percent 

The committee followed its policy of keeping communities of 

interest together and rejected these plans, all of which moved precincts 

nly urban area in Acadiana (Lafayette) into a.primarily rural 

1s  



district, ‘present District 39, and split each of small towns of 

Duson between two districts. 

River Parishes (See statewide map)   

The river parish region, which includes the parishes of Pointe k Oo ’ 

Coupee, Ascension, Assumption, St. John the Baptist, St. James, St. I ’ ’ ’ 13 ’ b] 

Charles, and West Baton Rouge, is so historically because these 

barishes lie along the lower Mississippi Rive i sarticular area of F =) 

the state has significant geographic features--the Mississippi River 
oO Oo oo ’ 

the Atchafalaya Basin, and other wetland areas--which severely limit the 

directions for expansion of representative districts. Although a slight 

population loss has occurred in the river parish area between the Mississippi 

‘iver and the Atchafalaya Basin, the remaining area of the river parishes 

has experienced population growth, most significantly in Ascension 

Parish. 

The river parishes are historically an intact geographical unit 

the state. At public hearings, citizens from this area expressed 

reat dissatisfaction with sharing any representative district with 

neighboring Jefferson Parish, an urbanized area distinguishable from the 

rural character of the river parishes. The original working draft plan 

for this region was criticized more severely at committee meetings and 

public hearings than the plan for any other region of the state. Major 

revisions were made in the river and Florida parishes to keep communities 

of interest together. In the final plan, none of the new districts 

ss the boundary between rural St. Charles Parish and urban Jefferson 

Parish, Uhere the working draft plan divided several parishes among 

three or four districts, the new districts now have reunited several  



New District 506 remains similar to the present district drawn by 

the court ten years ago, including all of St. Charles Parish and the 

west bank of St. John the Baptist Parish, New District 57 remains in 

St. Jolm and St. James Parish. New District 58 includes the east 

the west bank of Ascension Parish, four precincts on 

bank of Ascension Parish, and most of Assumption Parish. New 

59 is comprised of most of the east bank of Ascension Parish 

district continues to 

form the traditional "bridge" between the river parishes and the Florida o 

LAr lo 1, : : A tary 3 Vos parishes. New District 60 includes all of Iberville Parish, a small 

part of West Baton Rouge Parish, and a small contiguo 

Parish. New District 29 (composed of area primarily in present D 

61) includes Pointe Coupee Parish and all of West Baton Rouge Parish 

except Ward 1 and one precinct in Ward 2. 

An example of geographical constraints in the river parishes is 

former District 61, which is numbered District 29 in the new plan. 

available area for geographic expansion is extremely limited, since 

district is bounded by the Mississip 3 state of Mississippi 

: : 1 ' : and the Atchafalaya Basin. A proposal was made to create a District 

57 with a black population of 56.06 percent. However, such a proposed 

district failed to address the inevitable "ripple" effect in Districts 

60 and 61, which are scverely constrained by the 

the Atchafalaya Basin, In addition, this proposed District 57 was 

extremely lengthy, reaching from St. John the Baptist Parish, through 

both banks of St. James and Ascension Parishes and into Iberville P: o 

Pst 
1! his plan also perpetuated some of the parish fragmentation from the 

original comni e working draft plan, which drew strong opposition from  



area residents at public hearings. 

District 58 as adopted by the House has a slight black majority 

population, reflecting committee efforts to maximize black population in 

that district. The original House working draft plan, prior to public 

hearings, created District 58 with 44.0 percent black population; but 

testimony during public hearings suggested that minority participation 

in this district could be enhanced. The committee enhanced black 

population in the district within the geographical limitations of 

area; new District 58 contains 50.3 percent black population, 

Florida Parishes (See statewide map and metropolitan Baton Rouge   

The Florida parishes, so named because this area constitutes a 

of the Florida "panhandle" under early Spanish occupation, are East 

Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washi 

and Vest Feliciana. The Florida parish area, including the pari 

East Baton Rouge, has experienced substantial growth, justifying 

addition of some 2.5 additional representatives. Primarily this growth 

has occurred in a band starting at the eastern edge of the state where g 2 

St. Tammany Parish borders the state of Mississippi and extending westwarc 

1g the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain into the southeastern portion 

East Baton Rouge Parish, 

Excess Florida parish population, approximately one-half of a di 

must "ripple" into another region of the state, either into the river 

parish area or into Orleans Parish. The committee did not direct that 

population toward New Orleans, because the eventual result would have 

been a district combining marsh area known as the Rigolets in Orleans 

-l7- 

i 

 



  

ish with the Slidell area in St. Tammany Parish, with wetlands providing 

the only contiguity between the rural and metropolitan portions of 

such a district. The natural and traditional direction for the population 

linkage is into the river parish area, 

In the northern part of East Baton Rouge Parish, new District 62, 

presently embracing a portion of this parish as well as the Feliciana 

Parishes, is brought within acceptable population deviations by the 

inclusion of the small community of Zachary and another rural portion of 

the parish (Pride). New District 63 and District 64 remain in the 

northern and eastern parts of the parish with population excesses adjusted 

to meet the ideal. New District 63 remains a black majority district. 

In the southeastern part of the parish, however, present District 65 

69.17 percent above the ideal district population, present Dis 

was 24:17 percent above the ideal, and present District 70 was 56.95 

above the ideal. Since present Districts 65, 69, and 70 were heavily 

overpopulated, their size was reduced and their excess population was 

funnelled into the new East Baton Rouge District 61. This new district 

was created in the area of significant population increase, the southeastern 

part of the parish, and includes three Livingston Parish precincts. In 

the central city of Baton Rouge, where three districts had lost population, 

new District 66 is increased by its movement eastward across Airline 

tlighway; new District 67, by the inclusion of the university area of 

Louisiana State University; and new District 68, by moving that district 

vard to embrace the older residential neighborhood known as Melrose 

livision, 

District 71 will be compos of the communities of Denham 

Walker, and Livingston in Livingston Parish. New District 72  



includes St. Helena Parish and Wards |. 2, 3, and 6 in Tangipahoa Parish 

(west of the Tangipahoa River), including the communities of Independence, 

Amite, Roseland, Tangipahoa, and Kentwood. District 73 under this plan 

retains its present configuration namely Wards 7 and 8 of Tangipahoa 

Pari New District 74 is now composed of the rural "piney woods' areas 

of St. Tammany Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, and northwestern Washington 

Parish, giving up population to new District 77. New District 75, one of 

the few present districts in this area that lost population, is brought within 

acceptable tolerances by picking up Ward 6 of Washington Parish; this 

district lies in the northern portion of Washington Parish bordering 

New District 76 is now composed of the Slidell area o 

Tammany Parish, with excess population in the lakefront area placed 

newly created District 77. St. Tammany Parish is one of the fastest 

growing areas of Louisiana, having increas population by 73.87 percent 

over the decade. Since much of this growth has been in the lakefront 

area, the sccond new district (District 77) in the Florida parishes wz: 

has occurred. placed where this growth 

The central city population of Baton Rouge, primarily embraced in 

present Districts 66, 67, and 68, has significantly decreased. Present 

District 66 is 10.09 percent below the ideal district, present District 

9) 
7:15 24.2 7 percent under the ideal district, and present District 68 is 

23.65 percent under the ideal district. In spite of this central 

population decline, black District 67 was retained as a neighborhood 

district with a black majority.  



  

Plans were proposed’® to the committee and to the House to create 

another black representative district in central city Baton Rouge. This 

district had a black population of 71.5 percent and black voter registration 

>ercent. One plan had nine representative districts totally 

within the parish of East Baton Rouge. lowever, the northern part of i 

East Baton Rouge Parish is rural, having a community of interest with 

the Feliciana Parishes, not urban Baton Rouge. Three major roads run 

from the northern part of East Baton Rouge Parish into the Felicianas. 

However, the primary damage done by these proposals was the fragmentation 

of neighborhoods and the creation of noncompact oddly-shaped districts. 

Southeast Baton Rouge, South Baton Rouge, and North Baton Rouge are very 

different areas. The proposals considerably fragmented these areas, attempting 

to link.substantially disparate neighborhoods. Distri 0 ran from 

the river to Livingston Parish, and District 68 was shaped like the 

letter "E". These odd configurations of urban districts were not 

necessitated by natural boundaries. The committee chose to retain, 

insofar as possible, compact districts in the city, in order to keep 

neighborhoods whole and respect communities of interest. The proposals 

for a black district in Baton Rouge were rejected because they linked 

disparate city néighborhoods and created a marginal black district in an 

- . . . 
> areca of declining population. 

Yi ii : : ) 119; TIED ody , A black district was also proposed in the Feliciana Parishes and 

St. Helena Parish, Black population declined in the Feliciana Parishes 

from 61.1 percent in 1970 to 52.2 percent in 1980. 'In St. leclena Parish, 

black population decreased from 55.8 percent in 1970 to 51.5 percent in 

1980. The proposal showed a black district of 53.06 percent black  



I A EY 03 SO Pe Ey TEE a A pO 

population, with a black voter registration below 50 percent. Additionally, 24 

this proposal split St. Helena Parish, placing part of St. Helena with 

the Felicianas. The Felicianas have little community of interest with 

St. Helena but are tied closely with the northern part of East Baton 

Rouge Parish. Although St. Helena Parish has been included in various 

representative districts in the past, it has always been with either 

Livingston or Tangipahoa Parish, as there are strong historical and 

commercial ties among the three parishes. The plan was also rejected 

because it split communities of interest severely in order to create a I x 

marginally black district in an area where the proportion of black 

population 

4 - P - ~ -~ 1 Pp oy 1 - | - 5 4 . 
stealer New Lec S A .& Ar Ec pe pi U 2 ME ana me OopPO LLa Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area (See statewide map and metropolitan   

. - 2 
New Orleans maps) 

The greater New Orleans metropolitan area includes Orleans, 

Bernard, and Plaquemines Parishes. 

The west bank of Jefferson Parish has experienced great population 

increases. One new district, District 87, has been created on the west 

bank in the Harvey area of New Orleans to accommodate the increase, The 

major redistricting problem on the west bank is that many of the 

are not large only in geography but also in population, with one 

containing more than 11,000 persons. This makes the drawing of distr 

extremely difficult on the west bank, 

District 102 (01d Algiers area of New Orleans) requires 

additional population, which has been added thereto from the contiguous 

newer sections of Algiers. New District 36 is composed of the newer 

portions of Algiers and part of the unincorporated areas of Jefferson  



» $ 

Parish outside of Gretna, including a portion of Terrytown. New District 

85 will continue to be composed of the city of Gretna and part of Terrytown. 

New District 84 is composed of the Marrero area, losing a significant 

amount of its present population on its western side to newly created 

District 37. New District 33 continues to be centered in the city of 

The east bank of Jefferson Parish is also a high growth area which 

is entitled to an additional district. New District 81 encompasses Bucktown, 

01d Metairie, and those parts of Metairie which border on Lake Pontchartrain. 

New Districts 80 and 88, both abut Lake Pontchartrain in Metairie. One 

of these ricts is a new district located along the lakefront n 

of Interstate 10, the area which enjoyed the most significant population 

increase in East Jefferson Parish. New District 83 includes that portion 

from Clearview through the Willowdale area. New District 

80 contains the area roughly between Bonnabel Boulevard and Clearview 

Avenue, including the "Fat City" area. The remaining lakefront district, 

in Jefferson Parish, new District 79 includes the remaining portion of 

west Metairie and the Chateau Estates, University City, and other newer 

portions of Kei New District 92 encompasses the older portions of 

Xenner. New District 78 is composed of the Harahan/River 

of Jefferson Parish. New District 82 includes 

Ward-Jefferson Highway area (Airline Highway to the river) and runs from 

tha Orleans Parish line to Harahan. 

Orleans Parish suffered a six percent population decline over 

decade, a substantial population loss when compared to the overall 

growth of the state. The 1980 population of Orleans Barish is 557 

s, which entitles the parish to 13.9 representatives. Since  



present district lines are drawn with fifteen entire representative 

districts in Orleans and three additional districts partially composed 

of Orleans precincts, reapportionment obviously necessitated the loss of 

some districts in Orleans Parish, The new plan has thirteen districts 

entirely within the parish of Orleans and two districts which are partially 

in Orleans and partially in neighboring parishes. 

The population decline in New Orleans has not been uniform. Before 

redistricting, eleven districts in New Orleans had black majority popula- 

tions. These eleven districts experienced far greater relative population 

losses than the rest of the city. The eleven districts in Orleans 

Parish which had a black majority population in 1980 and their percentage 

deviation from the ideal district figure of 40,038 population are as follows: 

Pistrict 87, minus 15.09 percent; District 83, minus 23.03 percent; 

District 90, minus 24.05 percent; District 91, minus 31.05 percent; 

District minus 28.0 percent; District 93, minus 28.07 percent; 

District 95, minus 23.06 percent; District 96, minus 28,09 percent; 

District 97, minus 24.08 percent; District 101, minus 22.03 percent; 

District 102, minus 30.01 percent. 

New Orleans (Orleans Parish) is unique in the state for many reasons. 

It is the only major urban area in Louisiana. The city is over three 

hundred years old. It is a conglomeration of old, established neighborhoods, 

many of which have existed for well over one hundred fifty years and 

most for at least fifty years. 

There are countless examples of neighborhoods with very different 

connmuaities of interest. Residents often refer to themselves as being 

from a certain neighborhood or ward, rather than as residents of New 

Orleans generally. Geographically, New Orleans finds itself in a bowl  



between a crescent bend in the river and Lake Pontchartrain. 

natural geography caused the creation of curving streets and oddly-shaped 

ds and districts. Ward boundaries are more important in this city 

than anywhere else in the state. Wards have remained unchanged since 

they were drawn in the 1820's. ses s and, essentially, state senators 

are still elected from city wards. Thus, the committee tried to avoid 

fragmentation of traditional wards and neighborhoods wherever possible. 

The district plan drawn by a special master ten years ago resulted 

in the election of six black representatives from New Orleans. 

of the loss of three districts by Orleans Parish, the new plan includes 

gistration six districts with black majorities in voter reg 

district with a majority black population. The six black voter registration 

majority districts in the new plan are Districts 91, 93, 06 7, and 

101. New District 102 has a 52 percent black population 

voter registration of only 35 percent, possibly because the district 

includes public housing projects with a significant number of children. 

Additionally new District 103 has a black population of 47.8 percent, 

and thus has a great possibility of becoming a majority black district 

in the next few years. 

Due to the loss of districts in New Orleans, several incumbents now 

arc paired in new districts. Such pairings include two pairs of white 

representatives (one pair in a black majority voter registration district), 

one pair of black representatives, and one pairing of a black and a 

white representative. 

The Orleans districts were adopted in substantially the sa form 

as proposed in the original committee base plan. New Orleans East (eastern 

© 1 portion of Ward 9) is one of the two growth areas in Orleans Parish, 

- li  



1 PA A 30 1 EA SES NS AO 

the other being that region on the west bank known as Algiers or the 

Fifteenth Ward. The area referred to as New Orleans East is bounded by 

the Industrial Canal on the west, Lake Pontchartrain on the north, St. 

Tammany Parish on the east, and the St. Bernard Parish line (Bayou 

enue) on the south. This area wi easily accommodate two complete 

districts, new Districts 99 and 100. New District 98 encompasses 

between the Industrial Canal and Bayou St. the Gentilly area and runs 

John. New District 94 includes the Lakefront/Lakeview/City Park 

and a small section of Mid-City. 

Mid-City with most of the Carrollton area. 

the Uptown area (almost the entire Fourtzenth Ward) as well as Precincts 

1 through 9 of the Sixteenth Ward. Although these preci 

Carrollton area, they are compatible with the Uptown are 

of the Uptown arza, presently consisting i 

: yiics : : : 21 ; ! 
is now divided into New Districts 90 and 91. New District 90 

covers Broadmoor, the Thirteenth Ward, 1e Garden District, the upper 

Garden District, and a portion of the Irish Channel. New District 91 

encompasses a substantial portion of the central city area as well as 

the lower Garden District. New District 93 encompasses the remainder 

the central city area, running from the river to Broad Street, and also 

includes the central business district and the French Quarter. 

New District 96 encompasses the neighborhoods of Marigny, Treme, 

Lafitte, Old Gentilly, and a portion of the St. Bernard area (mid- 

Seventh Ward), being that area generally to the west of St. Bernard 

Avenue bordered by the bayou and Esplanade Avenue. New District 97 

encompasses the remainder of the middle portion of the Seventh Ward and 

Florida Avenue to encompass the middle portion of Wards 3  



  

New District 101 encompasses the Desire area as well as a number 

in the mid-Ninth Ward and three precincts  ] the Industrial 

New District 102 includes most of Ward 15. New District 103 

encompasses that area of Orleans Parish below Reynes Street between the 

river and the Florida Avenue Canal and the St. Bernard Parish line 

(lower Ninth Ward), as well as the present portions of District 103 in 

St. Bernard Parish and Precincts , D-2, and D-3 from the present 

District 104. New District 104 retains the middle portion of St. Bernard 

Parish, having given up excess population to new District 103. The 

lower portion of St. Bernard Parish remains in new District 105 with 

Plaquemines Parish and two Jefferson areas, namely Lafitte and Belle J 

Meade Subdivisions. 

Several tentative suggestions to create more black districts in 

Orleans were made at committee meetings and public hearings. Althoug 

the committee amended its working draft plan on September I 

the river and Florida parishes, these tentative proposals di 

take the amendments into account until the Extraordinary Session in 

he tentative proposals for New Orleans were thus rejected 

the committee and the House because of major disruption to the river 

Florida parishes, returning them to the configuration of the earlier 

proposal superseded by the plan endorsed by the committee for introduction 

in the House. Further disruption was created in Jefferson Parish. 

2 
Another proposal was preseated on the House floor which did not 

impact severely on the river and Florida parishes. This plan would have 

channelled excess population from the exploding New Orleans East area, 

(which under present law lies principally in one legislative district and 

ich the new House plan divides into two contiguous lakefront districts,) 

across large swampy industrial area, across Bayou Bienvenue, the 

520m  



boundary between Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes, and into District 

103. Thus District 103, would lose those neighborhoods it presently 

represents in the Ninth Ward, pick up suburban Orleans East neighborhood 

and would extend from the Mississippi River all the way to the Rigolet: 

and the Mississippi state line. In addition, District 99 would have 

mixed black/white precincts in the Gentilly Woods area, disrupting 

neighborhood integrity. 

The fifteen present New Orleans districts are represented by six 

legislators. Although New Orleans has lost House seats due to 

population decline, six of the new districts have majority black voter 

registrations. Proportionally, the proposed plan thus provides an 

increase in New Orleans black representation. According to 1980 

figures, 35 percent of the population of Orleans Parish is black. 

Fifty-three percent of the new districts have majority black populations 

However, since the black population is younger and does not regi: 

vote in as high a proportion as whites, voter registration in Orleans 

is 45 percent black. Forty-six percent of the new distri 

Orleans Parish have black voter registration majorities. 

of possible dilution of minority voting strength if voter registration 

figures are not cousidered, six black districts in New Orleans were 

drawn so as to insure black voter registration majorities. 

 



NOTES 

§6. Legislative Reapportionment; Reapportionment by Supreme 

Court; Procedure 

Section 6. (A) Reapportionment by Legislature. By the end of 
the year following the year in which the population of this state 

is reported to the president of the United States for each 

decennial federal census, the legislature shall reapportion the 

representation in each house as equally as practicable on the 

basis of population shown by the census. 

(B) Reapportionment by Supreme Court. If the legislature 

fails to reapportion as required in Paragraph (A), the supreme 

court, upon petition of any elector, shall reapportion the 

representation in each house as provided in Paragraph (A). 

Constitution of Louisiana, Art. 3, Sect. 6 

PROPOSED RULES FOR LEGISLATIVE REAPPORTIONMENT 

To promote the development of a constitutionally acceptable 

apportionment plan, the Committee adopts the following rules for 

itself and its subcowmittee on Legislative Apportionment, declaring 

the same to constitute minimally acceptable criteria for legislative 

apportionment, 

I. EQUALITY OF REPRESENTATION 

Equality of population of legislative districts insofar as 

is practicable is the goal of legislative apportionment. 

Deviations from the "ideal district" population should be 
justifiable either as a result of the limitations of 

census geography, or as a result of the promotion of a 

rational state policy including, but not limited to, respect 

for the traditional political geography and natural geography 

of the state, and the development of compact and contiguous 

districts. 

In order to meet constitutional guidelines for legislative 
districts, no plan, or proposed amendment thereto, will be 

considered which results in a relative deviation range in 

excess of ten (107%) percentum, or a relative deviation in 

excess of + five (5% percentum). 

11. POPULATION 

The total state population, and the population of defined 

subunits thereof, as determined by the 1930 Federal Decennial 

Census shall be the exclusive permissible data for state 

legislative apportionment. 

Such 1980 census data as validated through data verification 
program of the joint House and Senate research staff in 

cooperation with the Louisiana State University Division 

of Research Services shall be exclusive data base used 

for evaluation of proposed apportionment plans for population 

equality.  



Bt 

111. DISTRICTS 

Pursuant to the Louisiana Constitution Article III, fectin 1, 

the utilization of multi-member districts, '"floterial districts 
or other proposals violative of single-member nti 

districts are declared unacceptable. 

"n 

ye 
DILUTION OF MINORITY VOTING STRENGTH AND MINORITY PARTICIPATION 

The dilution of minority voting strength is contrary to 
1 

public policy. The right of meaningful political participation 

of minority citizens is recognized. Accordingly, any proposed 

apportionment plan, or amendment thereto, demonstrated to 

have the objective or consequence of diluting the voting 

strength of minority citizens is unacceptable. 

V. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 

The committee seeks active and informed public participation 

in all activities of the committee and its subcommittee and 

the widest range of public information and citizen input 

into its deliberations, Accordingly: : 

a. Notices of all meetings of the committee and subcommittee 

will be transmitted to any citizen or organization 

within the State of Louisiana requesting the same, 

without charge; 

Through the auspices of the Louisiana State University 

Division of Research Services, copies of the validated 

census data base, and all other data bases available 

to the committee will be provided in hard copy form, 

or IBM compatible machine readable form, to any person 

at cost, 

Copies of all base maps caused to be prepared by the 

committee will be provided to any person at cost; 

Verbatim transcripts of all committee and subcommittee 

eetings shall be kept and maintained, and the same 

shall be available for public inspection. 

The subcommittee will hold at least tires meetings 

outside East Baton Rouge Parish in different locations 

throughout the state in order to maximize echt ic input. 

All interested persons are encouraged to appear before the 

subcommittee and to give their comments and input 

regarding legislative apportionment. Reasonable opportunity 

will be afforded to such persons, consistent with the 

criteria herein established, to present plans or amendments 

to plans f legislative apportionment to the subcommittee 

if desired, unless such plans demonstrably fail to meet the 

minimally acceptable criteria herein established. 

NOTE: The above proposed rules were adopted on July 23, 1981 
meeting of the House and Governmental Affairs Committee  



ENE TNC MTN SP 1 AE ATH aa i EE aint bios i A Ree 

See the transcript of the House and Governmental Affairs 

Subcommittees on llouse, Congressional and Public Service 

Commission Reapportionment, Public Meeting, July 23, 1981, 

Exhibit Number 13 (Attachment D of this submission). 

The Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus includes the twelve black 

representatives and two black senators in the Louisiana Legis) 

Bussie, al. v. the Governor of Louisiana, et 

B52 (197%), 4577, 2d 796 (1971). 

See comments of Representative Lancaster, transcript of House 

and Governmental Affairs Committee Subcommittee on House 

Reapportionment Public Meeting, September 25, 1981. (Attachment 

D of this submission, pp. 99 ~ 101 and 108 - 110. (No. 9) See 
also floor debate remarks of Representative Delpit contrasting those 

of Representative Jones, transcript of House of Representatives 

floor debate on House Bill 1, November 4, 1981, pp. 38-39, 65-66, 

and 68-69. (Attachment D of this submission). 

This plan was proposed by a group known as the Louisiana Survival 

Coalition, represented by Ms. Annie Smart and a technical 

consultant named William Meux, a graduate student at Louisiana St: 

University. The Survival Coalition described itself as a loose 

coalition of groups formed to oppose the Reagan administration's 

budget cuts in social programs. 

Letters indicating support are in Attachment D(4) of this submission. 

Mr. Thomas R. Parnell, a black member of the Rapides Parish Police 

Jury, submitted a plan during a public hearing in Ruston, Louisiana. 

Mr. Howard Joffrion of Rapides Parish submitted a plan by mail but 

did not appear before the committee to testify. 

Testimony from the Mayor of the City of DeQuincy, suggested that 

black representation in the region could be increased by moving 

the cities of DeQuincy and Starks between Districts 32 and 33. 

However, the precincts suggested have a total black population 

of 266 which would not have enhanced either district. District 32 

contains 16 percent black population and District 33 is 8 percent 

black. The black population in Southwest Louisiana is minimal, 

outside of Lake Charles and Westlake. 

The first statewide redistricting plan known as Committee Plan I 

was devised by the committee chairman and was called a "working 

draft", On September 25, after revisions which were extensive 

in the Florida parishes and river parishes: s, the subcommittee 

adopted the revised version known as the House "base plan". 
mn 
I When the base plan was introduced at the 

on Hovember 3, it became ‘louse Bill 1. 

xtraord inary Session 

1 The Calcasiecu Reapportionment Committee, a group composed of black 
residents of Calcasieu Parish, expressed approval as did black 
community leaders and labor union members. See transcript of 

louse and Governmental Affairs Committee Subcommittee on House 

Reapportionment Public Meeting, September 24, 1981, pp. 23-30,  



This plan was proposed by the Louisiana Survival Coalition. 

This was proposed by the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus. 

Substantially the same plan was proposed by the Louisiana Legislative 

Black Caucus, the Louisiana Survival Coalition, the Lafayette Parish 

Democrat Committee and the Louisiana Black Assembly. 

It is noted that growth in the Florida Parishes entitled the 

area to the addition of some 2.5 representative districts, requiring 

a mixed district either in the river parishes area or in Orleans 

Parish. 

This proposal was made by the Louisiana Survival Coalition and the 

Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus, 

Similar plans were proposed by the Louisiana Survival Coalition and 

the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus. C 

This plan was suggested by the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus, 

Neighborhoods in New Orleans and suburban Jefferson Parish are 

shown on the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Map of neighborhoods. 

In drawing these districts the committee recognized that present 

Districts 90 and 91 are presently represented by two of the three 

women in the House of 

avoid placing them in the same district, since that would reduce O 

Representatives. The committee sought to 

the already minimal number of women representatives, The two 

incumbents reside within ten blocks of each other. 

This proposal was sponsored by Representatives J. J: 

J. Johnson.