A federal court in North Carolina ruled Tuesday that the state will have to quickly redraw its 13 congressional districts
Redistricting (Gerrymandering) articles on Democracy Chronicles
Redistricting, also known pejoratively as gerrymandering, refers to manipulation of the redrawing of districts to skew results towards a preferred party or candidate. With changes in population over time as cities grow and shrink, representative democracy requires adjusting border lines between electoral areas. For national elections, the U.S. Constitution outlines the need for a ten-year population count by census for national elections. The 50 states often have their own methods of redistricting. Also see our section on American democracy.
3 court cases challenge Pennsylvania redistricting rules
Three court cases could have a major impact on redistricting for U.S. House elections in PA
Indiana activists in key fight for fair legislative redistricting
Reform advocates will be pushing for passage of Senate Bill 159 sponsored by two Republicans
There Are Potential Problems With Eliminating Partisan Redistricting
You can’t take politics out of politics. In different words, that’s what James Madison, the Father of the Constitution, expressed when he wrote Federalist No. 10. Instead of eliminating partisan interests, he called for a constitutional system that would pit ambition against ambition to prevent tyranny, rather than trying to extinguish parties or “factions” altogether. […]
North Carolina Elections Are Ground Zero in Broken System
North Carolina’s civil-rights and good-government groups are preparing for a special session
Poll shows support for independent Utah redistricting commission
The following is from an excerpt from the article, Most Utahns support ballot initiative establishing independent redistricting commission, by Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor at Utah Policy. Take a look: A healthy majority of Utahns support a citizen initiative that would replace the Legislature’s partisan redrawing of U.S. House and legislative districts with a bipartisan, independent commission, a […]
Grassroots group closer to overhauling Michigan redistricting
Reform may be coming for redistricting in Michigan. The following is from an article, “Anti-gerrymander group turns in signatures to get on Nov. ballot in Michigan“, by Kathleen Gray from the Detroit Free Press Lansing Bureau, a newspaper based in Michigan. Take a look: The anti-gerrymandering group Voters Not Politicians turned in more than 425,000 […]
Can congressional redistricting reform really happen in Ohio?
Getting a legislative redistricting reform (if that’s what it’ll really be) to Ohio’s spring ballot will require fast action
Pennsylvania Gerrymandering Trial on GOP Mapping Underway
The following is an excerpt from an article on Pennsylvania gerrymandering by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Continue reading here: www.post-gazette.com Pennsylvania’s congressional map is so skewed toward Republicans that computer software tasked with randomly drawing maps produced hundreds of drawings that were more politically neutral, according to testimony Monday on the opening day of a state […]
Supreme Court takes up second partisan gerrymandering case
The following is an excerpt. Continue reading here: www.washingtontimes.com The Supreme Court announced Friday it would take up a second partisan gerrymandering case this term after hearing one earlier this year from the state of Wisconsin. The court will hear the challenge brought by seven Republicans in Maryland’s sixth congressional district, who say Maryland lawmakers diluted […]