Commissioner Dianne Edmondson
With the Texas Legislature concluding its third special session sine die early Tuesday morning, all new district maps for the Congressional, Senate, House, and State Board of Education seats have been passed and await Gov. Greg Abbott’s signature within the next 20 days.
According to the Texas Constitution, Article 4, Section 14, if the Legislature has adjourned sine die (adjournment with no appointed date for resumption), or if the bill is presented to the Governor fewer than 10 days (not counting Sundays) prior to final adjournment, the Governor has 20 days (counting Sundays) after the final day of the session to sign or veto the bill. If neither action is taken, the bill becomes law without the Governor’s signature.
Enacted redistricting plans are then filed with the Texas Secretary of State and become effective for the next primary and general elections. They are subject to any judicial action if a lawsuit is filed challenging the redistricting plans.
The last redistricting map passed by legislators just before adjournment was the Congressional District map, which incorporated two additional House seats based on the latest U.S. Census population numbers, bringing the total number of U.S. Representatives in Texas to 38.
We will start with the new Congressional map.
U.S. Congress
dvr.capitol.texas.gov/Congress/50/PLANC2135
We have had two representatives from the U.S. House in Denton County including Dr. Michael C. Burgess, District 26, and Beth VanDuyne, District 24.
Under the new U.S. Congressional District map, Denton County will be represented by four U.S. Representatives including Pat Fallon in District 4, Ronny Jackson in District 13, Dr. Burgess in District 26, and Collin Allred in District 32.
• District 26 covers much of the remainder of Denton County including the southern, most of the eastern and northeast portions, as well as Robson Ranch in addition to Cooke County, and the southern portion of Wise County.
Congressional elections are held every two years with the next election, called a mid-term election, on Nov. 8, 2022. U.S. Representatives are elected for two-year terms.
Texas Senate
dvr.capitol.texas.gov/Senate/50/PLANS2168
We have had two Texas Senators in Denton County, including Jane Nelson, District 12, who is retiring, and Drew Springer, District 30.
Under the new Texas Senate redistricting map, Denton County will be represented by the same two Senate Districts.
• Senate District 12 covers Wise County, the western and much of the southern portions of Denton County including Robson Ranch, the northeast corner of Tarrant County, and the northwest corner of Dallas County.
Senators from all 31 Senate Districts across Texas will be elected on Nov. 8, 2022. Following the legislative redistricting process, all Senate seats are up for election. Based on a drawing, half of the senators will serve a two-year term with the other half filling regular four-year terms.
Texas House
dvr.capitol.texas.gov/House/50/PLANH2316
Four State Representatives have served residents in Denton County, including Tan Parker, District 63; Lynn Stucky, District 64; Michelle Beckley, District 65; and Jared Patterson, District 106.
Under the new redistricting plan, Denton County will have five State Representatives, including the aforementioned districts and District 57, a seat that will be wholly contained in Denton County whose representative will be decided in the November 2022 election.
• District 64 covers most of the City of Denton west of Loop 288, Robson Ranch, Krum, the eastern portion of Sanger, and all of Wise County.
Texas has a total of 150 Texas Representative Districts. Representatives serve two-year terms.
Texas State Board of Education
dvr.capitol.texas.gov/SBOE/50/PLANE2106
On the new State Board of Education Redistricting Map, Denton County will be represented by two members, including District 12, a seat currently held by Pam Little, and District 14, a seat currently held by Sue Melton-Malone.
District 14 will cover most of Denton County from Denton south including Robson Ranch as well as counties to north, west, and south including Wise, Jack, Montague, Clay, Palo Pinto, Eastland, Erath, Comanche, Mills, Hamilton, Coryell, Bosque, McLennan, Hill, Navarro, Ellis, the northeast portion of Johnson, and a far northwest segment of Dallas County.
Seven of the 15 seats of the Texas State Board of Education will be up for re-election on Nov. 8, 2022, including District 12 and 14.
Filing for all available seats begins on Nov. 13 and ends on Dec. 13. I will keep you informed on the candidates for each seat up for the primary election currently scheduled for March 1, 2022, the primary runoff on May 24, 2022, and the Nov. 8, 2022, election. Please note that all countywide offices—from the County Judge and County Commissioner to the County Clerk, District Judges, and other seats up for re-election in 2022—are countywide and do not include portions of other counties.
Contact Commissioner Edmondson by email at [email protected] or phone her at 972-434-3960. You can also stop by her office in the Southwest Courthouse, 6200 Canyon Falls Drive, Suite 900, in Flower Mound.