A Bipartisan Effort to End the Redistricting Madness

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Capitol Hill has introduced several bills that, if passed, would fundamentally alter the way states conduct their redistricting efforts. Whether the bills will succeed is doubtful because, regardless of party, it seems political power is a greater priority than enacting laws that reflect the will of the people.

The four bills, presented on Sept. 16 by the Problem Solvers Caucus, would collectively put an end to the practice of what has commonly been known as gerrymandering.

Redistricting has been a big deal during President Donald Trump’s second term. Republicans in several states launched a midterm campaign to redraw legislative maps, and Democrats responded, offering the same justification children have used for generations: He started it.

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Yet, multiple blue states – states that have been under the complete control of Democrats for decades – have no Republicans representing them in Congress. This, despite the fact that, within these states, the voting population is anywhere from 26% to 45% Republican. The Democrat administrations and legislators in those states apparently feel that securing political power is more important than fairly representing the will of their constituents. Still, it wouldn’t be fair to imply that only Democrats engage in this practice – it’s just that they have been more effective at doing it.

Among other things, the bills would prevent the practice of drawing congressional districts that ensure a constituency favoring one party or the other, regardless of whether the district encompasses residents from the same financial, cultural, ethnic, geographic, or economic background. The lawmakers attempting to advance these measures aren’t too optimistic about their chances of success. That, in itself, is an indictment of the system.

Still, this is an issue that strikes at the heart of America’s constitutional republic. As Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-CO) put it, “Redistricting should be about representing changes in our populations in our communities, not about finding a political advantage before the next election.”

Collectively, the bills aim to encourage states to task nonpartisan commissions with drawing legislative maps and ensuring that congressional districts make sense, both geographically and culturally, rather than being stretched and contorted in ridiculous ways in order to include certain communities known for their political leanings. A glance at the current congressional district maps in force today will expose the insanity of certain states’ redistricting fiascos.

Still, in a world swamped with what is perhaps the most politically divisive atmosphere in several decades, a lot of Americans might find it comforting to know that at least some of our elected officials are more interested in representing the people than in ruling over them.