The Nevada State Legislature has the Job of redistricting every 10 years, following each census. Lawmakers will also look at a bill that would delay the filing for judicial candidates from January to March.

Lawmakers have started the 33rd Special Session to accomplish both of these items. Drawing the state's congressional and legislative districts can be challenging. Especially, because the state's population has grown by more than 400,000 residents since 2010.

"I think it's far more complex than most people would imagine but level of growth and then that growth didn't happen evenly across the state," Sen. Julia Ratti, D-Sparks said.

The congressional district proposal would add more area to CD2, including White Pine and a larger chunk in Lyon County. That would remain a republican district and the three others would also change. Democrats have majorities in both houses and the governor's office, so they will have the ability to draw the lines how they see fit. Republicans say their proposal is textbook gerrymandering, including a line that runs right through Smith Valley.

"If you look at the congressional maps, it's gerrymandering at its finest," Assem. Robin Titus, R-Smith Valley said. "The tractor dealership and the people who live on the other side of the street from me are now going to be in CD2 and I'm still in CD4. That's not representation." 

The legislative maps are also controversial. The senate districts in Washoe County would change, turning Senate District 15, which is a swing district, into a blue one.

"In Washoe County, we have the same number, essentially, of republican and democratic voters and we have actually more nonpartisan and other voters but these maps are designed to create super majorities for the democratic party," Sen. Heidi Gansert, R-Reno Said.

Gansert says since two-thirds of voters in Washoe County are not democrat, they will be disenfranchised under the proposed maps. Her district would shrink, substantially and some of her constituents would move to a completely different district. Some of northern Nevada's western-most communities would share a district with Elko.

"Gerrymandering, politically engineering these maps but honestly, when you look at the communities of Somersett and Verdi being in the same district as Elko when we know that their political subdivision is Reno and of course, Washoe County, it absolutely doesn't make any sense," Gansert said.

Democrats say they have put a lot of thought and effort into these maps, using public input to make their decisions. They say they are not gerrymandering.

"I would disagree, whole-heartedly," Ratti said. "There is still plenty of competitive districts."

Democrats could pass the new maps without any republican votes. If they get super-majorities in both houses, they could write tax laws without any republican votes, as well. Lawmakers could change the maps over the next few days and they want the public to be a part of the process. If the current proposal passes, republicans say they will take it to court.