One person, one vote is the basis behind the redistricting process. The combined Senate and House redistricting committee held a public hearing in Hays Thursday to gather public input on the process to draw a new map of legislative and congressional districts based on the latest census numbers. Chairman Senator Tim Owens says the rules for drawing congressional districts are very strict.

The First Congressional District is nearly 58,000 people under the required ideal population of 713,280. State House and Senate districts are slightly more flexible with a margin of five percent plus or minus.