Editorial: Make redistricting public, fair and nonpartisan
Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023 -- Contrary to the behavior of North Carolina's legislative leaders, elections aren't the private providence of the elected. They are the way the citizens grant their legislators the privilege of representing them and nothing about that process should be secret.
Posted — UpdatedSo why are state legislative leaders in a fever to come up with new congressional and legislative districts just two years after the current ones were imposed?
They don’t say much about why. They’re taking drastic steps to make sure their motives, machinations, plans and communications are hidden from voters and all the people they represent. Stuck deep inside the 1,400 pages of the state budget legislation are provisions exempting legislators’ records from public disclosure – the same laws that apply to other state and local government agencies. Not only that, legislative leaders gave themselves new powers to search and seize documents from individuals, state agencies and private contracts.
These provisions were added without specific public notice, committee hearings or floor debate normally accompanying the consideration and passage of such substantial changes in state law. The changes have drawn near universal condemnation.
Further, taxpayers already OWN the documents and records they’ve paid to create. They don’t belong to legislators at all and complying with requests for records is simply giving those who own them their due.
So, the current legislative session will soon unnecessarily embark on a new round of drawing congressional and legislative election districts.
The veto-proof Republican majorities in the state House and state Senate aren’t lopsided enough to their suiting. Further – probably more significantly – they are infuriated they must suffer with the current 7-Democrats and 7 Republicans split in the state’s 14-member U.S. House of Representatives delegation.
The need to redraw the districts, to give Republicans more seats and Democrats less, has become even more urgent amid the dysfunction that now grips the U.S. House (thanks, in no small part to Republican N.C. Rep. Dan Bishop). The narrow GOP majority in Washington is under great threat.
If North Carolina can rejigger its congressional districts to diminish the number of Democrats and increase the Republicans it won’t just satisfy some intramural political game in North Carolina but could be critical to desperate national GOP efforts to hold its narrow majority after the next election.
Republicans, long ago, revealed the true motives concerning the continuous efforts at drawing election district lines. It has nothing to do with assuring every voter has a voice in Washington or Raleigh – but making sure GOP voices drown out those of all other voters.
“I propose that we draw the maps to give a partisan advantage to 10 Republicans and three Democrats, because I do not believe it’s possible to draw a map with 11 Republicans and two Democrats,” said former state Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett County.
Why would rigging election districts, under the guise of “partisanship” be necessary for Republicans?
Let the facts do the talking:
When it comes to voter registration, Republicans make up a mere 29% of the state’s 7.35 million voters. Also among the state’s 4.8 million white voters, Republicans account for 41% while Democrats, unaffiliated and other voters make up the majority – 59%.
To concoct a Republican majority out of an electorate where Republicans are a distinct minority takes creative manipulation – commonly known as gerrymandering.
So, to cover up their machinations and motives, the leaders of the legislature gave themselves the power to hide their work, their communications and unscrupulous actions from the people they represent.
The process and results of drawing maps – including all background information, data and consultants’ advice – should be done in public view and available as a matter of public record.
Before maps are voted upon, there should be public hearings throughout the state – at least in each of the state’s 14 congressional districts – on the proposed congressional and legislative redistricting plans.
Contrary to the behavior of North Carolina’s legislative leaders, elections aren’t the private providence of the elected. They are the way the citizens grant their legislators the privilege of representing them.
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