By Michael Benjamin
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wrvo/local-wrvo-942262.mp3
Oswego, NY – Bill Owens' 23rd Congressional District stretches from Oswego County north to Saint Lawrence County, and all the way east to Plattsburgh. It's already the largest district in New York State, in terms of geographical mass, but Owens says it could get even bigger as a result of the state's redistricting process.
"If you look at the [2010] census data," he says, "it would appear that we're going to have districts that are roughly 711,000 people."
He says the 23rd district is currently about 40- to 50-thousand constituents short of that threshold.
"So, clearly," he says, "some growth has to occur."
Owens says it's too early to tell where that growth might occur - or even if it will. That decision will be made by state officials, and is expected to be made by 2012.