After nine days of deliberation and viewing multiple versions of draft maps, the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission approved draft maps for Arizona’s nine congressional districts and 30 state legislative districts by a vote of the five commissioners on Thursday, Oct. 28.

The adopted draft maps are posted to adopted congressional and legislative draft maps. Visit irc.az.gov.

The current drafts show Fountain Hills in a newly designated Congressional District 1 and State Legislative District 3. The proposed CD 1 has a total population of 794,612 with 646,429 of voting age. LD 3 has a total population of 237,362 with 196,151 of voting age.

The adopted draft maps are the third of a four-phase process to draw new district boundaries. After a 30-day public comment period, the IRC will meet again to establish final district boundaries. This fourth and final phase is expected to conclude in December 2021.

With the approval of the two adopted draft maps, a 30-day public comment period has begun and continues through Saturday, Nov. 20. The commission will travel to various communities throughout the state to hold public hearings that the public can attend in person or participate in remotely. The dates, times and locations are still to be determined.

The IRC commissioners deliberated on October 4, 5, 15, 18-21, 26 and 28, reviewed more than seven series of congressional maps and 10 series of legislative maps before adopting the draft maps.

The first phase of the process began in mid-September with the creation of Grid Maps of Equal Populations, which was followed by the second phase that adjusted the Grid Maps using six goals mandated by the Arizona Constitution.

Hundreds of Arizonans have participated in the process both in person and online and 143 maps have been submitted from individuals and groups with suggestions on where to locate the district boundaries.

The Independent Redistricting Commission is asking the public to please visit the website, IRC Public meetings to watch for locations, time and dates for upcoming meetings. In-person comments can be made at these meetings.

According to PolitiFact, “The Princeton Gerrymandering Project, which rates new map proposals on factors such as partisan fairness, geographical compactness, and avoidance of split jurisdictions, gives high marks to the commission in Arizona.”

For more information about redistricting, visit politifact.com.