Draw the Line and Start Meaningful Dialogue With Redistricting

Most states put the power to draw district lines solely in the hands of the state legislature. If we can lift the veil of secrecy that enshrouds the redistricting process, we can kickstart a more meaningful dialogue.
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Illinois. Indiana. Michigan. Minnesota. Ohio. Wisconsin. Political
news coming out of these Midwest states has dominated recent national
headlines -- everything from throngs of demonstrators in state capitol
buildings to absent legislators avoiding votes to presidential
hopefuls to a big-haired, former governor on trial (again).

Beyond the headlines lies the story of a region hard hit by the
recession, with sustained high unemployment rates and massive state
budget deficits. Add slowing population growth leading to a loss of
representation in Congress as shown by the recent rollout of U.S.
census figures, and we have a set of mighty hurdles to overcome.

These realities present real threats. They also create unique
opportunities. Yes, Midwesterners could wind up fighting each other
and be left more divided than ever. Or, we can begin the process of
facing our challenges with an honest, open, civil discourse between
the people and our elected leaders.

One way to start this conversation -- and help rebuild trust between the
people and elected officials -- is to have a meaningful exchange around a
cornerstone of our democracy: the drawing of electoral lines, a
process known as redistricting.

Most states put the power to draw district lines for Congress members
and state legislators solely in the hands of the state legislature.
This power has historically been abused for political gain by
whichever party happens to have more sway during the few months every
10 years when districts are drawn. The result is manipulated lines and
manipulated voters as elected officials effectively "choose" their
constituents -- rather than the other way around.

If we can lift the veil of secrecy that typically enshrouds the
redistricting process, we can kick-start a more meaningful dialogue.

That is why an alliance of 27 civic engagement organizations that make
up the Midwest Democracy Network launched the "Draw the Line" campaign
to push for increased public participation, true transparency and
protection of minority voting rights in the creation of new political
maps. Our aim: ensure communities have a strong voice in this critical
process.

Coalitions in each state are asking elected officials to promote and
participate in a real conversation with the people they represent
about how districts are drawn in 2011 and 2012. Four of the top
recommendations from our state coalitions include:

  • Hold Public Hearings: The common practice has been to hold public hearings in advance of drawing maps to ostensibly gather input from communities, but then maps are proposed behind closed doors and quickly approved. Legislatures and redistricting officials must hold hearings before and after the maps are drawn in advance of final approval. No map should be implemented without further public input. Notice of public hearings should be provided well in advance of the hearing date. Hearings should be held across the state, at least one in each current congressional district.

  • Provide Explanation: We often ask math students to show their work and explain how they arrived at a result. To support meaningful dialogue at public hearings, legislatures and redistricting officials must provide both visual maps of each proposed plan and a written explanation of how and why they arrived at each district.
  • Make Data Available: The redistricting process requires census data reporting how many people live where, election data detailing voting preferences in each area, and geographic data describing existing and proposed districts. Legislatures and redistricting officials should provide easy public access to the data that inform redistricting decisions, which states often put together for "official" -- but not necessarily public -- use at taxpayer expense.
  • Set Up a Website: A regularly updated website will provide a platform for the public to find out about existing data, important dates and events, proposed maps, and a record of comments at previous hearings.
  • Because most states do not provide these resources already, the Draw
    the Line campaign provides tools to facilitate the public's engagement
    with this process, from educational materials developed by the Brennan
    Center for Justice to the Public Mapping Project's District Builder
    web-based map-drawing software developed by a George Mason
    University/Harvard University partnership. These resources and more
    are easily accessed at www.drawthelinemidwest.org.

    Now more than ever we need elected officials responsive -- and
    courageous -- enough to transform urgent challenges into opportunities.
    The redistricting process presents us with a chance to restore to
    politics a sense of community and place that creates a more open,
    honest and civil dialogue between the people and our elected
    officials. We ask legislators, redistricting officials and members of
    the public to draw the line and start this conversation with
    redistricting.

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