Rural districts lose population after inmate reallocation efforts
State officials reallocated almost 65 percent of inmates from where they are incarcerated to their last known address following pressure from advocates and organizations including the ACLU of Nevada and the Nevadans Count Coalition. Analyses of the shifts in population totals reveal population drops in rural districts represented by Republicans and increases in urban ones represented by Democrats.
In the Assembly, the largest negative deviation took place in Assembly District 36 represented by Assemblyman Gregory Hafen (R-Pahrump). The district experienced a loss of more than 3,600 people or a little more than a 4 percent drop in population, while the most growth took place in Assembly District 6 represented by Assemblywoman Shondra Summers-Armstrong (D-Las Vegas). Summers-Armstrong's district gained 630 people, growing almost 1 percent.
On the state Senate side, Senate District 4, represented by Sen. Dina Neal (D-North Las Vegas), grew almost 0.7 percent, the most growth of any other Senate district, and Senate District 19, represented by Sen. Pete Goicoechea (R-Eureka), dropped almost 3 percent in population.
Editor's Note: This story first appeared in Behind the Bar, The Nevada Independent's newsletter dedicated to comprehensive coverage of the Legislature. Sign up for the newsletter here.
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