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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- The maps of Missouri's new legislative districts have just been released. 

 A commission made up of six appellate court judges appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court came up with the redistricting plans after a bipartisan citizen commission failed to reach an agreement on new district lines in September. 

The new districts will go into effect January of 2013. But, legislators will be campaigning in the new districts starting in 2012 because the filing date for candidacy begins Feb. 28.

Some of the revisions that will affect our area are the following:

•  District 2 which now includes Adair, Sullivan, and Putnam counties will become District 3.
•  Mercer County will be added to the new District 3.
• Adair County is split along the Chariton river. The western portion will belong to District 3. The eastern portion will belong to the new District 4. ( Which is currently District 1.)

State Representative Zach Wyatt said although he's shocked that they split Adair county along the Chariton river, he said it could actually be advantageous.

"The only difference you're going to see is that there'll be two people down in Jefferson city now fighting for Adair County problems, or concerns that Adair county has so that could look pretty good," said Wyatt.

In terms of the state senate districts, Northeast Missouri will remain in District 18. Mercer and Grundy counties will be added to the district and Audrain and Ralls counties will be added to District 7. 

Missouri law requires redistricting every 10 years following the census. Based on the 2010 Census, Missouri's resident population increased by 7% to 5,988, 927. According to the Appellate Apportionment Commission, this increase combined with regional population shifts, required significant changes in the state's 34 current Senate districts and 163 current House districts to meet the constitutional requirement that districts be as equal in population as practicable.

This is only the second time in state history that a judicial panel has had to redistrict both chambers of the General Assembly.

Here is the link to our previous story, which includes the new maps.