Oregon Approves New Congressional Districts With Hours To Spare

PORTLAND, OR —With hours to spare, the Oregon Legislature passed a series of redistricting bills that were then signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown.

If legislators had not been able to reach an agreement, on Tuesday the chief justice of the Oregon Supreme court would have appointed a panel of five retired judges to handle the task.

The 2020 Census gives the state a sixth seat in the House of Representatives. With Democrats in control of both houses of the legislature, Republicans expressed concern that they would be completely shut out.

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While the Democrats control both houses, they don't hold enough seats to form a quorum.

The math created a situation where the Republicans tried to force the Democrats to negotiate, even walking out of the state house on Saturday to deny the Democrats a quorum.

In the end, the two sides agreed to a map that gives the Democrats four safe seats, one that leans Democrat, and one that will be a tossup.

"For the first time in forty years, Oregon is gaining a congressional seat, another delegation member to advocate for the common good of all Oregonians," Brown said Tuesday.

"After the past year and a half, during which Oregonians have faced unprecedented challenges that have urgently required federal attention and resources, I am particularly grateful that the Legislature has come together to pass today’s historic legislation."