Rokita Pushes Anti-Gerrymandering Plan

theindychannel.com ^ | September 8, 2009 | unknown

[Abathar]

NDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita pitched a plan Tuesday that would make it illegal for lawmakers to consider political data when redrawing congressional and legislative district maps.

Rokita wants districts to follow county or township lines as much as possible so they are not divided. He said the plan would result in more fairly drawn, competitive districts.

His proposal has drawn praise from Gov. Mitch Daniels, a fellow Republican, but two top GOP lawmakers said it is not Rokita's job to interfere with a process that belongs in the hands of the General Assembly.

Indiana lawmakers are now required by the state constitution to vote on new legislative maps following the U.S. Census every 10 years. That's expected to make the 2010 legislative campaigns more intense -- especially in the narrowly divided House -- because the parties in power will wield the mapmaking pens in 2011 following the 2010 Census.

It often is a partisan process designed to protect incumbents or carve out new territory based in part on voter registrations or voting patterns, which would be disallowed under Rokita's proposal.

[Abathar]

It's so refreshing to see some people actually fighting to do what's right in politics.

[pnh102]

I like how gerrymandering got to be looked down upon once the GOP had taken power in 1994. Prior to that, for as long as the Democrat party did it, it was OK.

If someone really wants to move for change in Congress, term limits would be a far more effective solution than limits on gerrymandering.

[taxcontrol]

Sillyness - asking a politician to not take into account politics is like asking rain not to be wet.

[jimt]

The plan I like best is to put the census data into a computer with two instructions:

1) districts are to be as compact and contiguous as possible (minimum periphery);

2) districts are to have equal populations +/- 500.

Let the computer draw the map.

[MSF BU]

The plan I like is to jam as many leftists into as few districts as possible and elect as many conservatives to the remaining districts.

[MSF BU]

What is expected in the coming census. Are the liberal areas going to grow or shrink?

[AD from SpringBay]

I’ll take, “Snowball’s chance in the lake of fire,” for $20,000,000 Alex.

[Little Ray]

You need a third - follow county or parish lines as closely as possible.

[Abathar]

That is an excellent idea!

[jimt]

You need a third - follow county or parish lines as closely as possible.

It would defeat the other two.

Why is that important anyway ? I can't tell the difference when I cross them. I don't mean to be frivolous, or disregard that counties have governments as well. If I was going to make county "districts" I'd apply the same two rules, only within county boundaries.