CHARLESTON — Lawmakers deserve a preview of how West Virginia’s political landscape would be altered, so they can talk it over with their constituents, in advance of a redistricting showdown, says House Minority Leader Tim Armstead.

If the maps aren’t passed out before lawmakers open shop Monday, the Republican leader said he wants the House of Delegates to put off any real action until late August or September.

Otherwise, Armstead said Wednesday, the work might not get done in a full week.

“If we get them ahead of time and everyone has the opportunity to look at them and take them to their districts to talk to their constituents about them, and if they look reasonable, I think it’s possible,” he said.

“On the other hand, if we don’t get them until the day we show up there for the special session, and there are concerns about them, it’s going to be very difficult to get that done that week. It’s going to be very difficult to get it done in a week and have any type of public input.”

If the maps are distributed by the end of this week, Armstead said, lawmakers could have the weekend to examine them and get feedback from constituents.

“We could come back later in the month, or do it in September interims,” the GOP leader said.

Lawmakers have been asked to tackle many items next week, but redistricting — an obligatory chore every decade — appears to be foremost on their minds.

Rumors are flying in southern counties, where population losses demand some shifts, and much attention has been riveted on the five-member 27th District of Raleigh and Summers counties. Talk has increased of late that Fayette and Wyoming counties want to grab some of Raleigh to make up for their population setbacks.

“That is both unfair and unreasonable,” said veteran Delegate Virginia Mahan, D-Summers.

“There will be others who want to see that done, but I will not be one of them.”

Mahan said support in the two counties is “considerable” for leaving the 27th unscathed.

“While single-member districts work in some areas, we have, in the past, been successful as a team, in whatever form the voters have put us in office. Much of the rhetoric about single-member districts is barely veiled criticism of the 30th District in Kanawha County. The complaining focuses on what some believe is a problem with most of those seven members living very near one another. In our district, that is not a problem. Geographically and philosophically, we are separate and diverse. That is a simple fact.”

Delegate Rick Snuffer, R-Raleigh, has maintained that a secret plan already has been drawn by the Democratic leadership to slice up Raleigh County and redesign it so that all three Republican delegates there are in the same, new portion, a two-delegate district that would eliminate one of them.

“Redistricting is a sham and will end up costing the West Virginia taxpayers lots of money in lawsuits,” he said.

Absent such items as Marcellus shale and the Other Post-Employment Benefits liability, Snuffer suggested acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin was overlooking “the real issues” confronting the Legislature.

“Looks like political posturing to me,” he scoffed.

“Just filling in time to try to generate some headlines. The people would be better served if the Legislature worked during regular session and only met once every two years, in non-election years.”

Delegate Daniel Hall, D-Wyoming, said he sees redistricting and the coal severance tax as paramount to southern interests.

“The numbers don’t lie,” he said. “Southern West Virginia has lost population and will lose representation.

“My job is to make sure that we get the best representation we can get in the Legislature, considering the circumstances. I believe smaller districts provide for more effective, accountable and accessible representation.”

For several months now, Hall said, he has toiled on a variety of plans “that are as fair and equitable as possible” for all southern residents.

“In the end, most likely no district will get what they wanted,” he said.

“But hopefully unbiased eyes will see that redistricting was done fairly and with the best interests of southern West Virginia citizens at heart.”

Another freshman, Delegate John O’Neal, R-Raleigh, said “it’s no secret” that some are relishing the thought of cutting up Raleigh and Summers counties to grab some needed population and applauded the efforts of Delegate Rick Moye, D-Raleigh — the only one from that district on the select committee — to maintain the 27th.

For the record, O’Neal said he, Snuffer and Delegate Linda Sumner, R-Raleigh, support the concept of single-delegate districts to provide fairer representation.

Putting personal preferences aside, O’Neal added, “We are all committed to fighting to preserve four delegates in Raleigh County and one in Summers County. That is our priority.”

Southern lawmakers are united on at least one front — giving coal-producing counties a bigger share of the severance tax. The compromise bill would give those 30 counties a combined $20 million over a five-year plan by returning the first 1 percent of the tax that now goes into the general revenue account.

That money is intended to finance infrastructure such as water and sewage projects, roads, bridges and expanded Internet services.

“Keep in mind,” Hall said, “this is our money to begin with.

“We are just keeping a little more of it before we send the rest to Charleston.”

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com