Russell sets deadline for drawing legislative-congressional maps

Carson District Judge Todd Russell Wednesday told lawyers arguing the redistricting case and his team of special masters he wants to see the first maps by Oct. 21.

Russell also set two public hearings for the masters - in Las Vegas on Oct. 11 and Reno on Oct. 12.

He said he will hold a Nov. 15 court hearing after the masters present their maps.

The directive came at the end of a three-hour hearing in which lawyers for the different sides argued not only about deadlines but key legal issues including what those masters should use as a starting point. Democrats say the maps approved by the Legislature but vetoed by Gov. Brian Sandoval should be the starting point. Republicans say those maps were never law, that the starting point should instead by the existing legislative and congressional districts approved in 2001.

Mark Hutchison representing the GOP said as a compromise, they would accept a blank slate. But he said the GOP has no intention of further slowing the process by appealing at this point if they disagree with what Russell does. He said any appeal would come later after the special masters do their work.

Democratic counsel said they would take everything a step at a time.

After the starting point, the other key issues are whether compliance with the Voter Rights Act requires creation of majority/minority districts to ensure Hispanics have a better chance to win in congress or the Legislature and "representational fairness" in drawing districts in such a way that neither party has too much control.

Hutchison said after the hearing he expects Russell to rule "in a couple of days," on those issues. The parties agreed the population variance between congressional districts should essentially be zero and that the variance in legislative districts should be minimal.

The Nevada Supreme Court has made clear they want the special masters to draw maps quickly so there is enough time to handle any appeals.

The special masters chosen by Russell are Carson City Clerk/Recorder Alan Glover, Las Vegas lawyer and veteran arbitrator Tom Sheets and Robert Erickson, former head of the Legislative Counsel Bureau's research division.

After public hearings at which Russell said everyone including members of the public should have a chance to provide input, the masters will likely go behind closed doors to actually draw the maps.

The process was made necessary because after Sandoval vetoed two legislative sets of maps, Democratic leadership in the 2011 session failed to send him a different set of maps.