West Virginia Legislative Services Photo Delegates Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, and Erikka Storch, R-Ohio, talk during a floor session during the 2017 legislative session. Fluharty and Storch are among those concerned the Northern Panhandle could lose a House seat under a redistricting plan approved Monday.

WHEELING — Fewer than a dozen houses and a couple alleys separate the residences of Ohio County delegates Erikka Storch and Shawn Fluharty in their Woodsdale neighborhood.

As it stands now, when both are up for re-election every two years, they run for two seats in West Virginia’s 3rd Delegate District, which encompasses most of Ohio County.

However, under a new bill that has passed the House of Delegates calling for redrawing the state’s delegate map into 100 separate districts, Storch and Fluharty could theoretically be forced to run against each other for a seat in Ohio County after the 2020 census.

Some House members fear the Northern Panhandle could lose a delegate seat or more under legislation presently in the West Virginia Legislature, and they would like any new district lines to be drawn by an independent redistricting commission.

On Monday, the House voted 72-25 to pass House Bill 4002, establishing 100 single-member House districts following the 2020 census. The measure now moves on to the Senate.

The House is presently comprised of 67 districts with a varying number of delegates representing each — and some members like Storch and Fluharty are neighbors.

Locally, the 1st District in Hancock County, the 3rd District in Ohio County and the 4th District in Marshall County are each represented by two delegates.

Delegates Fluharty, D-Ohio, Mike Ferro and Joe Canestraro, both D-Marshall; and Phil Diserio, D-Brooke, all voted against the bill.

“I found the bill to be self-serving legislation to protect incumbents,” Fluharty said. “It didn’t include an independent commission to draw legislative maps, nor did it include term limits. It’s sad that one of the first bills taken up is for politicians worried about their 2022 election instead of focusing on the real issues plaguing our state.”

Storch missed the vote on Monday to accompany her child to an orthodontic appointment. But she said she would have voted for the bill as it raised valid points.

In Ohio County, residents get the voices of two delegates and two senators and have four voices in the Legislature, she said. In another smaller district, constituents might only have the voice of their delegate, and maybe their two senators if both live in their vicinity.

Conversely, Monongalia County has five delegates and two senators for a total of seven representatives, and it seems a “valid argument” that residents there have more of a voice in Charleston than does Ohio County, for example, Storch said.

She also doesn’t believe the Northern Panhandle will lose any additional representation in Charleston because of the legislation.

“If we continue with our population loss, we are going to lose a delegate regardless,” Storch said. “At least if those delegates are spread out, the representation will be more reflective in areas where there is population loss.”

Canestraro said each of the delegates would represent about 18,000 people based on a population of 1.8 million.

“When I look at the census numbers … I would have to think we could lose a delegate or two if (we go to) single-member districts. That’s why I voted against it,” he said.

“All it is is an attempt to redraw districts to get rid of people.”

For redistricting to be done correctly, an independent commission would have to be formed and be separate from the Joint Committee on Government Finance that currently has the responsibility, according to Canestraro. Otherwise, Republicans presently control both houses in the Legislature, and they would oversee the process.

“We have to have people not in politics — not Democrats or Republicans — redrawing the districts,” he said. “If they come up with a bill for an independent commission, I would most likely be in favor.”

Ferro said he didn’t believe the bill was necessary, and that he and Canestraro work closely together to represent Marshall County.

“We get to represent all of Marshall County,” he said. “Every city is different in needs, and in rural areas the needs are different.

“If you just represent cities, you have no ideas of what the needs are in rural areas.”

He did disagree with critics of the legislation who say it favors incumbents.

“If you do quality work, you will be re-elected,” he said. “Your constituents understand if you work hard, and work hard for them.”

In the 1st District, delegates Patrick McGeehan and Mark Zatezalo, both R-Hancock, voted in favor of the bill.

“In principle, it follows the one person, one vote standard,” McGeehan said. “There are good arguments on either side, but I like the underlying principle. The biggest thing, though, really is to prevent gerrymandering by either political party– once the districts are re-drawn after the next census.”