AS STATE LAWMAKERS PREPARE TO REDRAW IOWA’S LEGISLATIVE BOUNDARIES, MORNINGSIDE UNIVERSITY IS A POINT OF DISPUTE IN THE PROPOSED REDISTRICTING.
FOR THE PAST DECADE, PETERS AVENUE, WHICH RUNS THROUGH THE CAMPUS, HAS BEEN A BORDERLINE FOR TWO DISTRICTS IN THE IOWA HOUSE AND SENATE.
STUDENTS THAT LIVE IN DIMMITT HALL, THE BIGGEST RESIDENCE HALL ON CAMPUS, VOTE IN THE DISTRICTS CURRENTLY REPRESENTED BY DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS HALL AND SENATOR JACKIE SMITH.
THE REST OF THE DORMS ARE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF PETERS AVENUE, AND ARE DISTRICTS OF REPUBLICAN SENATOR JIM CARLIN AND REPRESENTATIVE JACOB BOSSMAN.
VALERIE HENNINGS, A MORNINGSIDE SOCIAL SCIENCES PROFESSOR, SAYS THAT MAKES VOTING DECISIONS MORE CONFUSING FOR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY MOVE TO A DIFFERENT DORM:
PETERS1 OC……..AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS. :24
UNDER THE CURRENT MAP PROPOSAL, PETERS AVENUE WILL REMAIN A DISTRICT BORDER.
MORNINGSIDE STUDENTS LIKE GARRETT ARBUCKLE WANT THE BOUNDARY LINE MOVED ONE BLOCK SO THE WHOLE CAMPUS IS IN ONE DISTRICT:
PETERS2 OC……….VOTING IN ELECTIONS. :23
IOWA LAWMAKERS WILL BEGIN THEIR SPECIAL SESSION TO APPROVE REDISTRICTING ON OCTOBER 5TH IN DES MOINES.
