Opponents file motion to postpone trial on redistricting lawsuit

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Attorneys for Democratic state leaders filed a motion on Friday asking an Oklahoma County judge to delay a trial on a Republican-backed redistricting lawsuit. <br><br>District

Saturday, March 9th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Attorneys for Democratic state leaders filed a motion on Friday asking an Oklahoma County judge to delay a trial on a Republican-backed redistricting lawsuit.

District Judge Niles Jackson set a tentative trial date of May 13.

Republicans filed the lawsuit, alleging the Legislature won't be able to enact a plan before the state election process officially starts July 8, the beginning of three-day filing period.

Chad Alexander, chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, and six other Republicans filed the lawsuit, naming the state Election Board, Gov. Frank Keating, Senate leader Stratton Taylor, D-Claremore, and House Speaker Larry Adair, D-Stilwell, as defendants.

Don Holladay, attorney for Adair and Lee Slater, attorney for Taylor, filed the motion asking the case be delayed.

Holladay's motion said the Legislature has committed time and resources in an effort to forge a bipartisan redistricting compromise.

Jackson said he would hear arguments on the motion and any others March 15.

Congressional redistricting is undertaken after each U.S. census count. This time, lawmakers are reconfiguring the districts to account for the loss of one of Oklahoma's six seats in the U.S. House. Oklahoma didn't grow as fast as others in the past 10 years.