Here’s an easy, simple fact that shows fair districts and open primaries lead to more moderation: After the 2000 election, conducted as an open primary in community-oriented districts drawn by the courts in 1991, the “Bi-Partisan Group” in Sacramento (led by then-Assemblymembers Keith Richmann and Joe Canciamilla) had 27 members. After open primaries were eliminated by the courts and… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Redistricting
New Report: Redistricting in America, A State-by-State Analysis
New Rose Institute Study Analyzes Redistricting Across United States Today the Rose Institute released “Redistricting in America: A State-by-State Analysis.†“Redistricting in America” provides a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of legislative and congressional redistricting systems in each of the 50 states. “Redistricting in America†offers a behind-the-scenes look at the complex and ever-changing world of… Continue Reading
Illinois Democrats Unveil New Redistricting Plan
Democratic state senators in Illinois have recently introduced a plan to change the process the state uses to draw its legislative districts. On Wednesday, the plan was passed by the Senate’s redistricting committee. It faces a harder battle in the House, however, where the Democratic majority is not as strong. The current process allows the… Continue Reading
Last-minute notice: Rose tweets Applicant Review Panel meeting
Rose Fellow Douglas Johnson is in Sacramento to attend today’s meeting of the Applicant Review Panel. The Panel is a group of auditors from the California State Auditor’s office who have been selected to review the thousands of applications for California’s first-ever Citizens Redistricting Commission. For minute by minute coverage of the meeting from its… Continue Reading
Utah Redistricting: No Reform for 2011
Despite an effort by a group called Fair Boundaries, Utah will not reform its redistricting process before the 2011 cycle. The Fair Boundaries group tried to put a redistricting reform initiative on the 2010 ballot that, if it had been approved, would have reformed redistricting on the congressional, state legislative, and school board levels in… Continue Reading
Major Donor Changes Mind on California Redistricting Reform
As reported by the Los Angeles Times on April 12th, entertainment executive and major Democratic party donor Haim Saban recently donated $2 million to the “Yes on Fair” initiative, a political advocacy group led by Representative Howard Berman that wants to overturn Proposition 11. Proposition 11 was passed by California voters in 2008 and created… Continue Reading
Maryland Redistricting: Bob Ehrlich’s Candidacy Presents Two Challenges for Frank Kratovil
In a recent Congressional Quarterly column on 2001 and future 2011 congressional redistricting, Bob Benenson wrote about how 2010 gubernatorial elections can determine and change the partisan makeup of a particular state’s members of Congress for the next ten years. Maryland’s 2010 gubernatorial election and 2011 redistricting provide a vivid example of the impact of… Continue Reading
CA Redistricting Application deadline looms
The deadline for Californians to turn in their secondary applications for the California Citizens Redistricting Commission is Monday, April 19th, at 5:00 PM. Applicants should be sure to read the Auditor’s guidance on how to demonstrate your qualifications in your essays. And, of course, applicants should be sure they do not violate the Commission’s conflict of… Continue Reading
Former NY State Senator Proposes Redistricting Reform Panel
Former New York State Senator Seymour P. Lachman wrote an op-ed in The New York Times on Sunday recounting his personal experience with redistricting politics and proposing a new model for redistricting reform. He described being offered a variety of perks and incentive in order to consent to his districting being “cracked” during the New York State… Continue Reading
Misleading California’s Voters: The Financial Accountability In Redistricting Act
The California Democratic redistricting machine is worried. Led by Congressman Howard Berman and his consultant brother Michael, they controlled the state’s bipartisan incumbent-protection gerrymander in 2001. Now their control is threatened by an initiative that would place Congressional redistricting within the mandate of the Citizens Redistricting Commission. Congressman Berman and his allies are responding with… Continue Reading