Redistricting Shuffles Fairfield's State Reps

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Do you know who represents you in the state House of Representatives? Even if you knew the last time you went to the polls, the answer might be changing.

Fairfield still has three delegates in the House: Republicans Brenda Kupchick and Tony Hwang and Democrat Kim Fawcett. But the exact boundaries of the three districts that cover portions of Fairfield will be shifting.

The state Reapportionment Commission rearranged Connecticut’s General Assembly districts last week. The committee is charged with redrawing the boundaries for the state’s House and Senate districts based on population data from the 2010 Census. The changes will go into effect for the 2012 elections.

Fawcett, who represents the 133rd District, will lose a town in her constituency. For the last 10 years, the 133rd District included a strip of land that stretched from the Bridgeport border to Greenfield Hill and also included a portion of Westport. Fawcett’s district is now more closely grouped along Fairfield’s eastern neighborhoods. The boundaries of the 133 are now roughly the Bridgeport border, the Fairchild Wheeler Golf Course, Ash Creek and Fairfield University.

Kupchick’s 132nd District will be more compact as well. The district now covers the southern portion of Fairfield, stretching from the Westport to Bridgeport along the coast and as far north as the train tracks in some areas and Fairfield Woods Road in others. But after reapportionment, the 132nd will still border Westport and go as far north as Brookside Drive in some portions and up into the Lake Hills area.

Kupchick said she initially found the proposed changes “a little strange” because it means she would no longer represent her former home, which is now in the 133rd. But she said the changes won’t affect the way she works.

“I personally feel like I represent everybody in Fairfield, no matter what,” Kupchick said. “So if somebody calls me from another to ask me a question, I don’t say, ‘You don’t live in my district.’ I just help them. We’re all Fairfielders.”

Hwang, the representative for 134th District, will have more Fairfielders within his district’s boundaries. The 134th will still includes portions of Fairfield and Trumbull. But while Hwang only covered the northeast corner of Fairfield under the old boundaries, his coverage area will include all of Fairfield north of Hill Farm Road, Brookside Drive and the Samp Mortar Reservoir.

Fairfield’s representation in the state Senate did not change in the redistricting plan. State Sen. John McKinney still represents all of Fairfield as the 28th District’s senator. McKinney also serves Easton, Newtown and portions of Weston and Westport under the new boundaries.

The searchable street-by-street guide has not yet been changed, so if you’re curious about your representative you’ll have to scan a map of Fairfield. You can see maps of all of Connecticut’s redesigned districts at the General Assembly website. 

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