Category Archives: Archive

Congressional Redistricting Reform Without Real Change

Representative John Tanner (D-TN) called for redistricting reform in each of the past three Congresses, but he is now scaling back his goal. Tanner’s previous bills would have created a bipartisan commission to control Congressional redistricting in each state. His new proposal merely requires state legislators to post their plans online for 10 days and… Continue Reading

Open Primaries in California: The Future of Proposition 14

In June 2010, California voters will have the chance to fundamentally alter the state’s primary election system. Currently, California operates under a modified closed primary system. Under this system, political parties nominate candidates for the November General Election through a June Primary Election. The primary is “closed” because voters may select only their own party’s candidates,… Continue Reading

Redistricting Reform in Virginia?

Former Virginia Democratic nominee for Governor, State Senator Creigh Deeds, has been very actively promoting a bill in the Virginia Senate that would reform the process for redistricting in Virginia.  The official summary of his bill (SB 173) reads: Establishes a seven-member temporary commission to prepare redistricting plans in 2011 and each tenth year thereafter… Continue Reading

Rose Institute’s Florida Report Featured by DLCC, FLA Politics

The Rose Institute’s recent report on redistricting in Florida has been featured on two more major sites. First, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee highlighted the article, calling it “well worth a read” and quoting from the report’s discussion of the FairDistricts initiatives. Second, FLA Politics did a second piece on the report, calling it a… Continue Reading

New Movement for Redistricting Reform in Illinois

The Illinois League of Women Voters, in conjunction with Republican leadership in the state legislature, kicked off a new movement for redistricting reform in Illinois called the “Illinois Fair Map Amendment.” Proposed on February 18, the constitutional amendment will be simultaneously introduced as a bill in the Illinois General Assembly and as a petition for an… Continue Reading

Thousands of Applicants for California Citizens Redistricting Panel

30,275 people applied for the 14 slots on the Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC).  As the Rose Institute reported earlier, the application deadline was extended from February 12th to February 16th because of the intense interest.  The Citizens Redistricting Commission is entrusted with the task of redrawing California’s Legislative Districts in 2011, and is a result of… Continue Reading

Rose’s Florida Redistricting Report Featured across Blogosphere

The Rose Institute’s recently released report on Florida’s upcoming elections and redistricting has been featured in several major blogs over the last week. FLApolitics, one of the top political blogs in Florida, wrote an article pulling numerous quotes from our series and noted that it is the “perfect fix for a political junkie.” SwingStateProject.com also… Continue Reading

Rose Institute's John Pitney Quoted in New York Times

Professor John J. Pitney Jr. was recently quoted in a New York Times article on the upcoming California election for Barbara Boxer’s US Senate seat. GOP challengers are gearing up for what may be a fairly competitive race, according to the article. The NYT reports that Pitney “said [Senator Barbara] Boxer’s previous easy victories in… Continue Reading

Rose Institute's Doug Johnson on City Budget Woes

Rose Institute Fellow Douglas Johnson was quoted last week in an article by The Oakland Tribune on the possible financial crisis the city of Rialto may face in the next few years. The article reports that Johnson said: “city governments are grappling with similar decisions throughout the state as California’s budget woes and the national… Continue Reading