Lawmakers debate competing congressional maps as residents urge keeping counties whole

Little Rock — State lawmakers heard hours of testimony Tuesday on competing congressional redistricting proposals as sponsors defended population-tight maps and local officials and residents warned that splitting counties would fracture representation.

The committee considered multiple bills and alternative maps presented by members of both chambers. Representative Jim Dotson and Senator Brianne Davis described a pair of coordinated proposals that, they said, reduce the number of split counties from five to three and achieve extremely small population deviations — in one version “within 24 people” statewide — while attempting to keep cities and precincts whole. Representative Dotson said maps were drawn to keep districts compact and contiguous and to follow natural boundaries where possible.

Supporters framed their plans as technical efforts to respond to population growth in Northwest Arkansas and losses elsewhere. “We worked very hard to get population as close as we could to keep cities together and keep the lines where they…