TOPEKA — Kansas legislative staff released details Wednesday about how to participate in upcoming public meetings on redistricting.

One of these is set for Great Bend Tuesday evening. It will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce, board room, 1125 Williams St. Public comment will follow the virtual event. 

Lawmakers are gathering input before redrawing congressional and legislative boundaries in the upcoming session, and plan to listen by live video feeds to public comments from four virtual town halls.

GOP leaders previously announced they would hold the virtual town halls in response to criticism about the first round of public meetings in August. Those meetings were announced on short notice, and held during working hours at a time when census data had yet to be released.

The information about where to go and how to submit comments for the new round of meetings arrives less than a week before the first town hall, which will coincide with an unrelated special legislative session.

To participate in the upcoming meetings, residents must call or email the Kansas Legislative Research Department at 785-296-3181 or redistricting@klrd.ks.gov at least 24 hours in advance. Written testimony will be accepted at the same email address up until the start of the 2022 session in January.