The Aleutians must stay together.  That was the conclusion of Alaska Superior Court Judge Michael McConahy in his ruling on the 2011 state redistricting plan. 

The plan divided House District 37 at Unimak Pass.  Aleutian communities to the west ended up paired with the Yukon-Kuskokwin Delta region while communities in the Aleutians East Borough stayed connected to the Bristol Bay region.  A lawsuit brought by two Fairbanks area residents contended that the configuration violated the state constitutional requirement that voting districts be contiguous and compact. 

The redistricting board argued that the pairing was necessary in order to comply with Alaska Native representation requirements.  The court disagreed.  Judge McConahy ruled that the Board had not substantiated that claim and that the board needed to reunite the Aleutians.  

The ruling also indicated that several new districts in the Fairbanks area were not in line with the Alaska Constitution.  McConahy ordered the redistricting board to revise the boundaries of House Districts 1, 2 and 38. 

The Board will meet Tuesday in Anchorage to discuss the decision and decide whether to appeal.