Redistricting Reform: Good for North Carolina
Published April 11, 2013
Democrats did it. Republicans did it. Gerrymandering of legislative and Congressional districts has reached an art form, but hopefully there are enough fair-minded legislators who understand the importance of a need for a better way to carve out election districts in our state.
The maps drawn following the 2010 census were so blatantly partisan that voters had no party choice in 19 of the 50 State Senate and 54 of the 120 State House races in 2012. Regardless of which team jersey you wear that isn’t good for our state and doesn’t help bolster confidence in the electoral process.
We can do better. Technology and computer modeling has advanced to the point where we can ensure the drawing of compact, non-partisan districts. The question remains as to who should draw the districts. A proposal being considered by the legislature asks the legislative staff to draw the districts but if transparency and fairness are the criteria there is a better way.
The goal of any such reform should be to ensure the voters have choice and should be grouped with other voters who share their interests and concerns. Regardless of what they might say the legislative staff still dances to the tune of whoever is in power. Besides, they aren’t the best to judge the best interests of our state. We believe that our elected officials should be able to assemble a diverse group of leading citizens, none of whom are elected officials, who will ensure diversity in geography, race
The U.S. Supreme Court is now considering whether or not the mandates of the Voting Rights Act of 1964 are still valid. If they should decide to strike down or substantially change those provisions redistricting reform will become even more important to ensure diversity and fairness.
We welcome reform but if the bi-partisan group considering changes really wants to restore confidence in our electoral system we hope they will reconsider who is responsible for drawing maps following the 2020 census.
April 11, 2013 at 8:01 pm
dj anderson says:
NC's 12th congressional district is the most gerrymandered in the country, even after it has gotten a bit better shaped. That was the Democrats creation, seemingly for racial reasons to keep blacks weaker in other democratic districts. I think the Republicans will keep it.
Where were these calls for fairness from Democrats in 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 census years and all those years before when they dictated districts? Yes, a law this year saying that in 2020, after the census, redistricting would be party blind would be noble, right and just, but that isn't what Democrats are asking for. Democrats want fairness now. Would Democrats revert to their old ways if we get back in power, and we will? I'll say it. We Democrats could dish it out but we can't take it, and yes, we are DemocRits about some things.
Being hypocritical is OK sometimes, when we confess we have been wrong for over a hundred years, but now we want to repent and do the right thing, and who can argue with doing the right thing? Let's ask for change, and let's have the state constitution changed if we have to to prevent us from changing back after we get into power, by mandating strategic changes to redistricting rules happen only after the next census. Would the Republicans go for that? Probably not, but it should weigh on a judge's mind.
Until the day comes, we can get a good taste of what we've been dishing out for a century. We need some humility if we are going to gain public trust and get back the power in NC. Democrats will win every election if we don't lose it. The majority is ours to lose.
