
The flags of the United States and the state of Indiana fly over the copper dome on the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis.
Elections for the Indiana House and Senate always affect the short-term future of the Hoosier State.
But the Nov. 3 general election will determine public policy for the next decade.
That's because one task lawmakers must accomplish when the Indiana General Assembly convenes in January is drawing new legislative district boundaries using the results of the 2020 census.
Assuming the Republican Party retains its majorities in both chambers, the decennial redistricting could keep the GOP in power at the Statehouse — and in control of what laws are enacted in Indiana — until at least 2031.
Ten years ago, then-Gov. Mitch Daniels poured millions of dollars from his Aiming Higher fund into state legislative races to help turn a 52-48 Democratic majority in the Indiana House into a 60-40 GOP advantage. Republicans have controlled the Senate since 1978.
That enabled Republicans to control the 2011 redistricting process, and to draw district boundaries advantaging their candidates, including crafting three Lake County districts centered on Munster, Schererville and Crown Point where Republicans could compete and occasionally win after years of electoral futility.
Ultimately, the GOP ended up with so many members in the Indiana House and Senate this decade that Republicans still could transact business even if no Democrats showed up.
They used that power to enact laws aimed at weakening labor unions, reducing corporate income tax rates, expanding access to charter schools and private school vouchers, eliminating the elected state superintendent of public instruction, and restricting access to abortion, among other conservative policy goals.
House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, last week said he's not certain how redistricting will play out next year, given possible delays in the census count and the unknown impact of the coronavirus pandemic on legislative procedures.
"At this point, there are many unknowns, but I'm confident we will find a way forward that is fair and transparent."
Senate President Rod Bray, R-Martinsville, likewise said his members are "keeping a close eye on what is happening at the federal level to see how it might impact our redistricting process."
"Our state Constitution tasks the General Assembly with drawing new legislative and congressional districts after each census, and it's a responsibility that we take very seriously," Bray said.
"We need the new census data to draw the new maps, but as we know, the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting our society at all levels and the census is not immune from that."
House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne, said it's not too late to remove partisanship from the redistricting process by turning the process of drawing new legislative boundaries over to an independent commission.
"House Democrats feel strongly that voters should pick their elected officials, not the other way around, and I've been disappointed that Statehouse Republicans don't feel the same way," GiaQuinta said.
"With uncertainty surrounding census data, there couldn't be a better time to improve our redistricting process and restore faith in the minds of Hoosier voters that our elections are fair and equitable."
In the Senate, Democratic Leader Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, also repeatedly has advocated for an independent redistricting commission, only to see the 40 Republicans in the 50-member chamber refuse to consider his proposals for a vote.
The Constitution mandates state and federal legislative districts be remapped every 10 years, following the census, to adjust for population shifts and ensure districts across the state each contain an approximately equal number of people.
The only criteria for drawing legislative districts in Indiana is that all parts of a district be contiguous.
Bipartisan proposals to mandate districts be compact, not cross precinct boundaries, avoid splitting up municipalities or other communities of interest, not protect incumbent lawmakers, and encourage competition as much as possible regularly have failed to win support over the past 10 years from lawmakers who won their posts under the current system.
Meet the 2020 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation
State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond

State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond
1st House District
Represents: Hammond, Whiting
Experience: State representative since 2018; retired Cook County, Ill. probation officer
Committees: Environmental Affairs; Family, Children and Human Affairs; Government Reduction (ranking member)
State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago

State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago
2nd House District
Represents: East Chicago, Gary (west side)
Experience: State representative since 2016; small business owner
Committees: Government and Regulatory Reform; Government Reduction; Ways and Means
State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary

State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary
3rd House District
Represents: Gary (downtown and east side), Lake Station, New Chicago, Hobart
Experience: State representative since 2018; attorney
Committees: Commerce, Small Business and Economic Development; Courts and Criminal Code (ranking member); Interstate and International Cooperation.
State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso

State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso
4th House District
Represents: Valparaiso
Experience: State representative since 2006; aviation safety consultant
Committees: Elections and Apportionment; Roads and Transportation; Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications (chairman)
State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City

State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City
9th House District
Represents: Michigan City, Chesterton, Beverly Shores, Long Beach, Westville
Experience: State representative since 2018; retired small business owner
Committees: Elections and Apportionment; Family, Children and Human Affairs; Interstate and International Cooperation
State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage

State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage
10th House District
Represents: Portage, Chesterton, Ogden Dunes, Burns Harbor, South Haven
Experience: State representative since 2008; financial solutions associate
Committees: Elections and Apportionment (ranking member); Employment, Labor and Pensions; Veterans Affairs and Public Safety
State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron

State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron
11th House District
Represents: St. John, Cedar Lake, Lowell, Schneider, Hebron, Kouts
Experience: State representative since 2014; farmer, former state environmental regulator
Committees: Environmental Affairs (vice chairman); Local Government; Natural Resources
State Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster

State Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster
12th House District
Represents: Munster, Hammond (south side), Highland, Griffith
Experience: State representative 2006-14, re-elected 2016
Committees: Interstate and International Cooperation (ranking member); Roads and Transportation; Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications
State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary

State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary
14th House District
Represents: Gary (south side), Merrillville
Experience: State representative since 1990; education professor at Indiana University Northwest
Committees: Education (ranking member); Government Reduction; Local Government
State Rep. Chris Chyung, D-Dyer

State Rep. Chris Chyung, D-Dyer
15th House District
Represents: Dyer, Schererville, St. John, Griffith
Experience: State representative since 2018; real estate investor
Committees: Financial Institutions; Local Government (ranking member); Roads and Transportation; Veterans Affairs and Public Safety
State Rep. Douglas Gutwein, R-Francesville

State Rep. Douglas Gutwein, R-Francesville
16th House District
Represents: Newton, Jasper counties
Experience: State representative since 2008; small business owner
Committees: Agriculture and Rural Development; Environmental Affairs; Government Reduction (chairman); Veterans Affairs and Public Safety
State Rep. Lisa Beck, D-Hebron

State Rep. Lisa Beck, D-Hebron
19th House District
Represents: Crown Point, Merrillville, Winfield, Lakes of the Four Seasons, Hobart
Experience: State representative since 2018; attorney
Committees: Commerce, Small Business and Economic Development; Courts and Criminal Code; Employment, Labor and Pensions (ranking member)
State Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie

State Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie
20th House District
Represents: LaPorte County
Experience: State representative since 2016; small business owner
Committees: Elections and Apportionment; Government and Regulatory Reform (chairman); Roads and Transportation; Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications
State Sen. Frank Mrvan, D-Hammond

State Sen. Frank Mrvan, D-Hammond
1st Senate District
Represents: Hammond (south side), Munster, Highland, Griffith, Dyer, Schererville
Experience: State senator 1978-95, 1998-present; retired banker
Committees: Education and Career Development; Ethics; Health and Provider Services; Homeland Security and Transportation (ranking member); Local Government (ranking member); Veterans Affairs and the Military (ranking member)
State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago

State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago
2nd Senate District
Represents: Hammond, Whiting, East Chicago, Gary (west side), Griffith, Hobart, Merrillville
Experience: State senator since 2008, previously served 1994-98; attorney
Committees: Commerce and Technology; Corrections and Criminal Law; Ethics; Judiciary (ranking member); Public Policy (ranking member); Utilities
State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary

State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary
3rd Senate District
Represents: Gary, Lake Station, New Chicago, Hobart, Merrillville, Crown Point
Experience: State senator since 2016; community relations manager
Committees: Appropriations; Education and Career Development (ranking member); Health and Provider Services; Homeland Security and Transportation; Veterans Affairs and the Military
State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes

State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes
4th Senate District
Represents: Ogden Dunes, Portage, Chesterton, South Haven, Burns Harbor, Beverly Shores, Michigan City, Westville
Experience: State senator since 2005; attorney
Committees: Appropriations (ranking member); Corrections and Criminal Law (ranking member); Environmental Affairs; Pensions and Labor; Rules and Legislative Procedure
State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso

State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso
5th Senate District
Represents: Valparaiso, Hebron, Kouts, Jasper County
Experience: State senator since 2007; attorney
Committees: Appropriations; Ethics; Health and Provider Services (chairman); Rules and Legislative Procedure; Tax and Fiscal Policy
State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell

State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell
6th Senate District
Represents: St. John, Cedar Lake, Crown Point, Winfield, Lowell, Newton County
Experience: State senator since 2014, state representative 2012-14; small business owner
Committees: Environmental Affairs; Homeland Security and Transportation; Local Government; Veterans Affairs and the Military
State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores

State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores
8th Senate District
Represents: LaPorte County
Experience: State senator since 2016; consultant
Committees: Corrections and Criminal Law; Insurance and Financial Institutions; Judiciary; Local Government