I wonder if there is a way to overcome gerrymandering?

[rbrnmw]

There has to be a way to get seats back in gerrymandered districts!!! What do you think we can do on top of going door to door with literature, making phone calls, and helping arrange rallies? What do we do? How can we turn this whole thing around?

[yeoman6987]

1. Gerrymandering

First of all, get Democrats to the polls. If they need an ID (which I don't approve) assist them in getting one. We have complete control in many states and we really should in all 50 states (well Utah might be impossible) but the rest of the 49 should be Democratic because we care about all people and want equality for all. I can't understand why Republicans are so against that. Weird.

[Retrograde]

2. California used a committee of private citizens last time

They tried to do an impartial job, basing the new districts on demographics other than voting patterns, and the Republicans lost seats in the state. It took a ballot initiative and IIRC a lawsuit or two to get it to happen.

[Cleita]

9. Yes, it worked very well and now the districts more resemble the true

political demographics of the state.

[MineralMan]

3. Sure. Work like crazy to elect Democratic majorities in state

legislatures before the 2020 census. In states where gerrymandering is the norm, that's going to be the approach that works, and the only one that works.

There are four legislative elections prior to the 2020 census.

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[donco]

4. the only thing

i can think of is voter registration and getting out the vote.The gerrymandered districts districts surely have some unbrainwashed women and a few poor folk that vote.

[OldHippieChick]

5. Become a precinct chair and learn from

the pros above you. Mobilize your own precinct - get them fired up. Have house parties and other GOTV events. March, protest, show up at city council. Write letters to the editor (yes folks still read newspapers). Learn who is on the school board, city council, county commission - we can't change the top if we don't change the bottom. But most of all - get Dems to the polls. Less than 25% will vote in 2014 and we could start turning this around by getting that percentage up.

P.S. - As an example: as precinct chair, I was one of 300 who got to select the legislator to fill a vacancy being made by a dem moving to county commission. There is more power in those "little" jobs than you think.

[rbrnmw]

6. Very good idea

I will look into it right away

[tabbycat31]

7. Work down the ticket

Get involved with your local or county Democratic party and get Democrats elected downticket preferably in non gerrymandered districts (you can't gerrymander a mayor's seat). That way it builds the bench so you have some good candidates to run in future elections. (Run yourself if you're inclined to).

Also work on registering as many voters as possible (check apartment complexes, high school and college students, new residents, etc). Slowly change your precinct and make it bluer.

[Cleita]

8. Pass a law making it illegal and then enforce it.

I think it used to be considered an unfair election tactic and was frowned upon in many districts. I don't know why that changed or how it changed no doubt in sneaky legislation passed in the middle of the night.

[hrmjustin]

10. This year Democrats need to get out and vote.

[RussBLib]

11. perhaps find a judge that would be sympathetic to a lawsuit

...and find a good lawyer to write a convincing brief. Then it would have to survive multiple appeals.

[adavid]

12. Ah gerrymandering..

where the politicians choose their voters, rather than the voters choosing (voting for) their politicians.

[sadoldgirl]

13. Every legislature has the two houses

If we can make sure that at least one of them has the majority of Democrats, there will be disagreement about the redistricting. It worked in Colorado. Then it can be taken over by the courts, which gave us a much better chance. However, that means waiting until the next census comes out.
Otherwise: just get the vote out.