By SHARI FRANK, guest columnist
At the national level, the For the People Act (S1) makes sure all votes count equally by eliminating partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts.
S1 requires states to use redistricting commissions made up of people who have no conflict of interest with redistricting — in other words, no legislators with a vested interest in maintaining power.
S1 mandates that the redistricting process keep together in one district towns, neighborhoods, communities of color and other common interest groups together where possible. It bans partisan gerrymandering — no more drawing the districts to favor one party over another. It requires open meetings for the public to have access to underlying data, review, comment and propose alternatives, and a process to redress violations.
Hoosier public comments at legislative hearings on redistricting echoed the criteria for redistricting spelled out in S1.
Even if S1 passes, this only addresses federal congressional districts. States will have the right to determine how they redistrict state legislative districts for House and Senate. And until S1 passes, states determine their own method of drawing congressional districts.
This is the year for drawing the Indiana district voting maps that will determine who we vote for and where we vote for the next 10 years. Unless S1 passes, this includes congressional districts as well as state House of Representatives and state Senate.
Our community signs on for redistricting
League of Women Voters Brown County talked to lots of people at the Brown County Fair. People were well aware of how gerrymandered districts from the 2011 maps dilute votes. They posed for pictures with messages to our legislators asking for fair, representative maps, and more folks signed on to the LWV letter: “We the undersigned are writing to ask that the Indiana redistricting process be fair and transparent, include citizen input, and result in voting districts that empower voters and preserve communities of interest.” This letter was delivered to Indiana state legislators at the redistricting hearing Aug. 11 in Indianapolis.
Nine hearings were held, but were people heard?
The Indiana legislature has just concluded nine public hearings for Indiana redistricting throughout the state with the final hearing at the statehouse last week.
Hundreds of people took time off work, drove hours one way, masked up and waited patiently for their turn at the podium to voice their concerns about Indiana redistricting to the legislators in charge of drawing maps, including Sen. Rodric Bray, president pro tempore of the Indiana Senate; Sen. Jon Ford, chair, Senate Elections Committee; Rep. Todd Huston, speaker of the House of Representatives; Rep. Tim Wesco, chair, Elections and Apportionment; and other legislators.
Emotions were strong. People want their vote to count.
So with all this agreement, what is the problem?
Legislators provided no responses, no assurances that maps will be provided and public input allowed before maps are approved. These were not town halls. There was no discussion. Public fears were voiced that the real map drawing will be done behind closed doors, by a known political operative. There is no trust and no assurances were given.
Republicans, Democrats, Independents and Libertarians, high school students, retired people, working people, college students all spoke out, but do not feel heard. Every public hearing was filled, many standing room only, with people who agree on the need to ban gerrymandering — that redistricting should let people pick their legislators, not the other way around. They asked legislators to have the courage to do the right thing.
Some of the comments were:
The Indiana General Assembly denied their own study recommending an independent redistricting commission and ignored bills for the same. Now is the last chance for 10 years to do the right thing.
We know what you’re doing. End the gerrymander.
More than 1 in 3 races go uncontested in state races every election because the districts are so gerrymandered the opposing party has no chance.
Stop “cracking” voters — stop splitting towns and counties into multiple districts.
There’s a statewide split of about 60 percent Republican and 40 percent Democrat, only gerrymandering results in nearly a 75 percent Republican statehouse.
Young people are leaving the state because we feel our vote doesn’t matter.
Indiana has one of the lowest voter turnouts in the country, consistently, because people feel “Why vote? It doesn’t matter.”
Our legislators don’t answer our letters or calls because they feel they’re going to win anyway. We want districts to be competitive so legislators have to talk to ALL their constituents, even those they don’t agree with.
Let us see the contract details and how much or our tax dollars are being spent for the political consultant hired to help draw maps. This should be public information.
Have public hearings with REAL public input after the maps are drawn but with time for the public to evaluate and weigh in to address concerns.
A recent study showed Indiana is 95 percent more gerrymandered than the rest of the United States. (https://www.women4changeindiana.org/redistricting)
Consider ecology when drawing districts so areas within a watershed can vote together to protect the environment.
What will the next 10 years look like?
What will our next Congressional District look like? Brown County is in District 9. In 2001, Brown County was grouped in a district with Jackson, Jennings, Ripley, Dearborn, Ohio, Switzerland, Jefferson, Scott, Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Crawford, Perry, Spencer, Dubois, Orange and Washington counties and parts of Monroe and Bartholomew counties.
In 2011, the maps were redrawn to group Brown County in a district with Johnson, Monroe, Lawrence, Jackson, Orange, Washington, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd and Clark counties along with parts of Scott, Crawford and Morgan counties.
Which grouping makes more sense? Does it make sense to be grouped with suburbs of Indianapolis or with other rural counties? Who will Brown County be grouped with to vote for the next 10 years?
These hearings were a great start, giving voters a chance to tell legislators what is important to their community. But, this will only be meaningful if there are additional hearings giving people access to the census data, to the underlying data with which maps are drawn, and if the public is allowed to evaluate, comment, and propose alternatives to redress any problems.
Voting map drawing contest
Think you know how to make the best maps for Indiana? Now is your chance. Once the census data is released, All IN for Democracy is sponsoring a mapping contest for Hoosiers. Winning maps will earn $1,000 and more. Practice your mapping skills now. Instruction videos are available on YouTube. Mapping is available on https://districtr.org.
Your voice matters
Our democracy depends on representative government. Gerrymandering weakens the voice of voters. We think it’s worth working for maps that make every vote equal, no matter how long it takes. If you agree, please let your representatives know what you think is important.
Find your legislators’ contact information here: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/find-legislators. Contact Indiana Senators Braun and Young to ask them to support S1.
If you want more information, please email LWVBC [email protected] or come to our meeting on redistricting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 24 at the Brown County Public Library. (Please follow CDC guidelines and wear a mask.)
Shari Frank is president of the League of Women Voters Brown County. LWV is a nonpartisan grass roots nonprofit community organization working for a better democracy.
