Redistricting Massachusetts

[Brittain33]

I've drawn Massachusetts with 9 districts. My goals were:

• eliminate one western district
• preserve the other 8 districts in as close to their current format as possible, including the 4th's nonsensical combo
• keep incumbents in place
• rationalize district lines where it makes sense

Boston is still divided into a liberal and diverse district and a conservative, Southie-dominated district. I changed the 5th district into a Rte. 2-and-495 district by incorporating the Fitchburg area and shifting Lawrence to the Essex County-based 6th district. I think the 7th and 3rd districts make more sense this way than they do now.

[Brittain33]

Framingham and Natick are in the 5th; Marlborough and Southborough are in the 3rd. I've renumbered the 10th as the 1st. I don't think there are any variations above 500.

P.S. yes, having 5 representatives covering towns like Provincetown, New Bedford, Franklin, and Billerica all living within about 10 miles of the statehouse is a travesty, but that's how things work here.