Proposed Redistricting Could Mean New Elected Officials on Beacon Hill

The Proposed redistricting of Massachusetts’ U.S. house and Senate seats could mean changes in the elected officials representing Beacon Hill and the Back Bay.

According to a map unveiled by the state legislature’s Special Joint Committee on Redistricting last Tuesday, Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz would lose districts in Beacon Hill, and the Back Bay, while Sen. Anthony Petruccelli would gain new districts in both neighborhoods.

The senate seat formerly held by Stephen Tolman, who was recently named president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, will gain new precincts in Beacon Hill and the Back Bay.

State Rep. Marty Walz will continue to serve the same precincts in Beacon Hill and the Back Bay, while State Rep. Byron Rushing, who served on the redistricting committee, will hold on to his precinct in the Back Bay.

Redistricting mandates changes in Senate, Governor’s Council and Congressional district boundaries to reflect shifts in population and is based on results from the U.S. Decennial Census, according to the committee Web site.

Today, Oct. 25, is the last day that the redistricting committee is accepting public comments on the proposed Senate and House redistricting. For more information, visit www.malegislature.gov/district.

In the coming weeks, the redistricting committee is also expected to release its proposed map of new Congressional boundaries, which will reduce the number of districts from 10 to nine.

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