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West Virginia House Votes to Reorganize Districts in 2020
By: Associated Press
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – West Virginia’s House has voted to reorganize into 100 legislative districts following the 2020 Census with one legislator elected from each.
Currently several of the House’s 67 districts containing more densely populated areas have two, three, four or five delegates.
Proponents say the bill passed 72-25 on Monday would make legislators more accessible and responsive to about 18,000 constituents each.
Opponents say it would protect incumbents who are nearly impossible to defeat in single-member districts and make it harder to elect women and minorities.
In the state Senate, bills have been passed to end West Virginia’s film tax credit, authorize tax credits for businesses that locate on former coal mine sites and require private clubs licensed to sell alcohol notify authorities when someone has a life-threatening medical emergency.