Op-ed: State Forced Districting Seeks To Further Divide Iowans

Over the past two weeks, Senate File 75, a bill exclusively and explicitly targeting counties with regent universities (Black Hawk, Johnson and Story), requires county supervisors to serve districts instead of our community at-large, has been passed on a party-line vote by both chambers of the Iowa Legislature.

This bill is not only misguided; it’s a blatant attempt at political gerrymandering & an assault on the good-governance that used to define Iowa politics. This bill, targeting only three of Iowa’s 99 counties – all home to regent universities – is a shameful example of state overreach and partisan manipulation.

What’s particularly insidious about this legislation is that it cannot achieve its purported goal of creating (a) “rural district(s)” without gerrymandering for political purposes. The demographics and geography of Black Hawk County, as the same for Story & Johnson, make it impossible to draw a genuinely rural district without intentionally manipulating boundaries to favor one political party over another. This is a textbook definition of gerrymandering, and it flies in the face of Iowa’s long-standing tradition of fair redistricting. 

The bill’s divisive nature becomes even more apparent when we consider the community-wide initiatives that the Board of Supervisors has successfully championed with bipartisan support. In Black Hawk County, projects like the UNI-Dome renovation, Cedar Falls Natatorium, Waterloo Courtworks, and Gilbertville Fire Station have united communities across the county. These achievements demonstrate the power of collaborative governance and shared vision, with shared prosperity, as the projects outlined generate over $33 million in annual economic impact. By imposing arbitrary district lines, SF 75 threatens to undermine this unity, pitting neighbors and communities against each other in a zero-sum game of political power and could jeopardize important developments that improve quality of life & the economic fortunes of our region & county. 

Moreover, this legislation is a solution in search of a problem. Black Hawk County’s current at-large system has fostered a culture of cooperation and county-wide perspective among supervisors. Forcing a district-based approach will only serve to balkanize the county, encouraging supervisors to prioritize narrow district interests over the greater good of all residents.

The timing of this bill is particularly galling, coming at a moment when communities need unity more than ever. As we face challenges ranging from economic uncertainty to climate resilience, the last thing we need is a politically motivated restructuring of our local government aimed not at improving cooperation but fueling divisions.

State forced districting represents a troubling departure from Iowa’s tradition of fair governance and local autonomy. The consequences of this misguided policy may not be immediately apparent, but they are likely to unfold in the coming years. We may see a gradual fragmentation of county-wide initiatives, increased political polarization at the local level, and a decline in the collaborative spirit that has long characterized Iowa’s approach to governance.

As we look to the future, it’s crucial to remain vigilant about the long-term effects of such short-sighted political maneuvering. The unity of our communities hangs in the balance.