Redistricting to bring new representation
The state legislature has finished redrawing the political maps, and Governor Greg Abbott is expected to sign the maps into law. If the maps hold up against legal challenges, new representation is on the way for the northwest half of Hays County including the Wimberley Valley and Dripping Springs. The changes, which in some cases split Hays County into two districts, impact the area’s state and congressional representation from both sides of the political spectrum.
U.S. HOUSE
Congressional District 25, which currently runs from Fort Worth to Wim berley, would stop north of Waco meaning that U.S. Representative Roger Williams, R-Austin, would no longer represent the local area. Most of Hays County will be in Congressional District 21 with the exception of the immediate I-35 corridor. The district extends to the west including much of the Hill Country until it nearly reaches Rock Springs. It also dips south into San Antonio. According to the Texas Tribune, the current version of CD-25 voted 53.9% for former President Donald Trump and 44.3% for President Joe Biden. The new CD-21 would have voted 59.1% for Trump and 39.4% for Biden.
STATE HOUSE
House District 45, which currently covers Hays and Blanco counties, would be redrawn to cover the I-35 corridor in Hays County splitting the county into two State House districts. State Representative Erin Zwiener, D-Driftwood, was included in the new bounds of HD-45 that would now end on FM-150, Darden Hill Road, Sawyer Ranch Road and sections of Highway 290. This puts the community of Driftwood in two separate districts as well as places of Hwy. 290 like Nutty Brown and much of Belterra in HD-45. The area north of Hwy. 290 would be in the new House District 73, along with the majority of Dripping Springs and all of Wimberley. The line between HD-45 and HD-73 between Wimberley and San Marcos stops at Hugo Road and Ranch Road 12. HD-73 encompasses the north and west portions of Hays County and all of Comal County. According to the Texas Tribune, the current version of HD-45 voted 45.5% for Trump and 52.6% for Biden. The new HD-73 would have voted 67.6% for Trump and 30.9% for Biden.
State Senate
The Wimberley and Dripping Springs areas will still be in Senate District 25 but it will have a bit of a new composition. It also removes the I-35 corri dor in the county from the district while continuing to include much of Comal County. The border of the district between Wimberley and San Marcos is the same as HD-73, but the district includes more of Kyle and Buda before following the northeast Hays County line to include essentially all of the Driftwood and Dripping Springs area. The new version of SD-25 now reaches north to include Bee Cave, Lake Travis and almost reaches Leander. It also includes Johnson City and then follows a similar path as its current structure from Comfort to include Boerne and reaches into the northern portion of San Antonio. According to the Texas Tribune, the current version of SD-25 voted 53.3% for Trump and 45.1% for Biden. The new version would have voted 58.3% for Trump and 40.1% for Biden.
For more information about the state legislature’s redistricting, visit texastribune.org/features/2021/texas-redistricting-map.