Official: Boise area might gain 1 legislative district

LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) - Population estimates suggest the Boise metropolitan region will gain another legislative district at the expense of rural Idaho, a state official said.

Keith Bybee, the deputy division manager of the Legislative Services budget office, said Thursday that while 2020 census figures won't be finalized until April, "between Ada and Canyon counties, it appears they'll get one new legislative district. And that's going to come at the expense of some of the state's rural counties."

A statewide redistricting effort slated to begin later this year will attempt to divide Idaho into 35 legislative districts with roughly equal populations. The effort will also try to apportion two roughly equal congressional districts.

Since the last redistricting program in 2011-12, the state has added about 220,000 people. Bybee told the Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee that Ada and Canyon counties account for nearly 60% of that increase, or about 130,000 people, the Lewiston Tribune reported.