In Lincoln, California, a retired feedstore owner, Anne Smull, was looking forward to voting for her current congressman, conservative Rep. Kevin Kiley. However, due to redistricting by California Democrats, Smull’s district has been changed, and she can no longer vote for Kiley.

Redistricting Wars

The redistricting effort was initiated by Republicans, but Democrats have retaliated by redrawing districts in their strongholds, including California. This has led to a situation where some Republican voters, like Smull, are now in overwhelmingly Democratic districts.

Kiley’s district was split into six parts, with the chunk where Smull lives being added to a Democratic seat based in the state’s wine country. Kiley has decided to run as an independent in the new district, which includes his home. He has spoken out against partisan gerrymandering and has tried to force a vote on a bill to ban mid-decade redistricting.

Local Impact

The redistricting has affected not only Kiley’s district but also the entire county of Placer, which will be divided among three districts in the new map. Local voters are concerned about the impact of redistricting on their representation in Congress. Some, like John Coburn, a 68-year-old retired business owner, are furious about the Democrats’ redistricting and hope Kiley wins.

Others, like Ed Church, a 61-year-old risk manager, are not fans of Kiley and are more concerned about who will stand up to former President Donald Trump. The redistricting has created a complex situation, with some voters feeling that their voices are not being heard.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.