Here's a look at the North Idaho legislative district map, L-71, submitted today by GOP Commissioner Lorna Finman of Rathdrum and Democratic Commissioner Julie Kane of Lapwai. It puts Boundary County and the majority of Bonner County, including the entire Clark Fork area, into District 1. District 2 contains the southernmost precincts of Bonner County plus northern parts of Kootenai County. "That's a very similar community of interest, kind of rural small-town area," Finman said. District 3 contains the core of Coeur d'Alene, while District 4 has mostly Post Falls and the Rathdrum area.

District 5 consists of Shoshone County and parts of Benewah, Kootenai and Latah counties, including the Moscow area, along with most of the Coeur d'Alene Reservation. District 6 pairs two rural Latah County precincts with all of Nez Perce County and part of Lewis County, and includes most of the Nez Perce reservation; while District 7 has part of Benewah County along with all of Clearwater and Idaho counties, and part of Lewis County. You can see the map and related reports online here.

Initially, it appeared that the plan would force only one pair of North Idaho incumbent lawmakers into a face-off: Sens. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, and Joyce Broadsword, R-Sagle; but now it appears other incumbent lawmakers also might end up in the same districts; stay tuned.

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