Indiana redistricting hearing attracts dozens of witnesses

The Indiana Senate Elections Committee heard Monday from more than 100 people, most of whom spoke in opposition to mid-census redistricting, as the Senate begins its review of the House-passed Congressional map.

House Bill 1032, which addresses mid-census redistricting and gives Republicans an advantage in all nine congressional districts, was discussed by the Senate Elections Committee Monday. As of press time, the committee hadn’t yet voted on the bill.

The proposed map, which was released last week, splits the current First District, held by U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, into two and the Seventh District, currently held by U.S. Rep. André Carson, D-Indianapolis, into four sections.

Senate Democratic Leader Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, offered a point of order Monday that Senate rules weren’t followed as the Senate gaveled into session. When the Senate adjourned on Organization Day, Nov. 18, it voted to adjourn until Jan. 5, 2026, she said.

Senate rules dictate that a move to reconvene earlier has to be discussed and approved along with the minority party leadership, Yoder said, which didn’t happen. Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, ruled the point out of order.

During Monday’s hearing, 127 people signed up to testify on the bill. For more than four hours, the majority of people who testified opposed the bill, while 18 people testified in favor of the bill.

Gary Mayor Eddie Melton, a former State Senator, was present at the Statehouse on Monday and issued a statement calling on the Senate to oppose mid-census redistricting as it threatens Congressional representation for Northwest Indiana and Indianapolis.

“This proposed map is not a reflection of Hoosiers’ needs, but the evident result of national political pressure and intimidation tactics from Washington, D.C.,” Melton said. “This proposal is not merely a partisan maneuver; it is a critical civil rights issue that threatens to disenfranchise Black and brown voters in our region.”

The proposed map “is a modern form of voter suppression designated to dilute the voice of the region that has fought tirelessly for equality,” Melton said.

Valparaiso University Political Science Professor Jennifer Hora said when redistricting occurs, it’s common to keep communities of interest together. But, the proposed map splits Porter County into two congressional districts away from Lake County, she said.

Valparaiso Councilwoman Barbara Domer said she opposed House Bill 1032 because “preventing partisan gerrymandering is key to maintaining public trust.” A fair redistricting process increases voter turnout because it increases voter confidence in elections, she said.

“Maps drawn to ensure the dominance of one party to dilute the effectiveness of votes of minority citizens, or to split communities of interest, run counter to equal voting rights for all and distort a representative democracy,” Domer said.

Supporters of the bill pointed to Democratic states, like California, which have drawn Congressional maps in their favor.

Mike Morris, with Lafayette Citizens in Action, said Republican states have to “take a page from our friends’ playbook.”

“Senators, I urge you not to just merely be in office but to be in power and to use that power to save our federal republic,” Morris said.

Ken Colbert, of Evansville, said breaking up Marion County into four Congressional districts means “more members of Congress will advocate” for the state’s Capital.

“This is not about silencing voices. It’s about making sure all Hoosier voices are heard proportionately,” Colbert said. “Let’s embrace this opportunity for fair, more responsive representation.”

The Senate has been a hurdle for Indiana’s mid-census redistricting efforts after Bray stated in October that the chamber doesn’t have the votes to pass new maps.

After Bray’s announcement, President Donald Trump issued a statement on his social media site Truth Social calling out Bray and Sen. Greg Goode “for not wanting to redistrict their state, allowing the United States Congress to perhaps gain two more Republican seats.”

After multiple swatting calls against Republican Senators were reported, Bray called the Senate into session Dec. 8 following the House session, which began Dec. 1.

House Bill 1032, authored by State Rep. Ben Smaltz, would allow the legislature to amend congressional districts “at a time other than the first regular session of the general assembly convening immediately following the United States decennial census.”

The bill also establishes new Indiana Congressional districts, and states that any challenges to the new maps will be heard by the state’s Supreme Court, barring any injunctions from county-level judges. The bill states that the current Congressional Districts won’t expire before Nov. 3, 2026.

The map was drawn by the National Republican Redistricting Trust using data from the last three presidential elections and the last two Indiana U.S. Senator, Secretary of State and attorney general elections, Smaltz said.

“These maps were drawn for political purposes and advantage,” Smaltz said.

President Donald Trump and his administration have asked Republican-led states to undertake mid-census redistricting to maintain the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Redistricting typically occurs every 10 years after the release of census data. The Indiana constitution dictates that the legislature should take up redistricting every 10 years after census data is released.

House Bill 1032 passed the House Friday in a 57-41 vote, with 12 Republicans joining all Democrats present in voting against the bill. For the Northwest Indiana House delegation, all Democrats voted against the bill and all Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Senator Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, chairman of the Senate Committee on Elections and Senate sponsor of the bill, said in a statement Friday that Indiana’s representation in Congress “has been watered down” by redistricting efforts in Democratic-led states.

“I am committed to advocating for this bill that will more fairly represent Hoosiers at the federal level,” Gaskill said. “I vow to foster a civil debate as we review this bill in the Senate.”

Yoder said in a statement Friday that House Bill 1032 “is about silencing Hoosiers and diminishing representation.”

“This bill tears apart communities, strips voters of representation they voted for and hands control to national figures who are more interested in cementing absolute power rather than solving any problems,” Yoder said.

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