Democratic push to end gerrymandering, helmed by Eric Holder, to begin in Va.

[SecularMotion]

Source: Washington Post

Eric H. Holder Jr., the former U.S. attorney general, is coming to Virginia to support Democrats trying to hold on to the governor’s mansion, the first stop for his new national campaign to reverse years of Democratic losses on the state level by reshaping legislative maps that have favored Republicans.

Holder will deliver the keynote address at the Democratic Party of Virginia’s annual Jefferson Jackson Dinner on June 17, four days after voters cast their ballots in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

He will be speaking as chair of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), formed last year to undo what it calls partisan gerrymandering by Republicans, who took control of 26 state legislatures in the tea party wave of 2010. The group is coordinating with Democratic campaign groups to fund gubernatorial candidates who can veto new legislative maps after the 2020 Census as well as legal challenges to legislative maps and ballot initiatives to create independent redistricting commissions.

Former president Barack Obama has said supporting the group’s efforts would be one of his top priorities after leaving office.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/2017/03/16/aad8396e-0a69-11e7-b77c-0047d15a24e0_story.html

[sakabatou]

1. How districts are mapped needs to be done by a nonpartisan committee

[msanthrope]

5. Nope. Tried that. Now, we fight in the courts. nt

[sakabatou]

13. So... who would draw the districts?

[OnDoutside]

16. The problem is that the Republicans have it the way they want it, so why change ?

[many a good man]

2. Easier to just double the number of Representatives

That would minimize the effect of any gerrymandering efforts and make both the House and EC much more representative of the country.

Perfect solution would have NIST develop an open source algorithm that would redraw districts objectively.

[Fast Walker 52]

9. interesting-- I hadn't heard that before but makes some sense

[Scruffy1]

17. I've been promoting this for years.

All it takes is the Congress. The problem is I can't see Congress doing it. There other problem is that there is no way to change the Senate without an amendment.

[Jim Lane]

18. An open-source algorithm exists but it has problems

The "shortest splitline method" is explained here. It produces an objective result. The defect is that it excludes all other factors, including many widely considered to be reasonable, such as taking account of existing political boundaries. ("District 1 includes Counties A, B, and C, plus the western part of D." The algorithm doesn't recognize county lines or any other lines.) In addition, there would no room for drawing district lines so as to ensure representation for blacks, for example, who might find themselves in the minority in every district and thus seldom able to elect anyone from their community (given white voters' reluctance to vote for black candidates).

[mopinko]

3. the obama "diaspora" will be an awesome thing to see.

about the only thing that gives me hope.

[pbmus]

4. The most important single initiative democrats should be doing..

[Cosmocat]

6. agreed

this and campaign financing are the two singular most damaging issues with our democracy - outside of rampant stupidity in the populace.

[pbmus]

8. Keeping people stupid is part of a larger plan by the oligarchs ...

Financing will always be an issue, on the table or under the table...but gerrymandering is the biggest issue right now.

[Fast Walker 52]

10. that and voting rights in general-- those two things are keeping many states like Texas out of play

for Dems

[JudyM]

15. And voting equipment integrity and conflict of interest rules for all branches of govt (I have 3 top

ones)

[Qutzupalotl]

7. Without the support of the Justice Dept., can we make progress in redder states?

Looking at Texas in particular, but also GA, NC, others...

[diane in sf]

11. probably, because a lot of voting stuff is decided at the state level

[Qutzupalotl]

12. But red states with red governors & statehouses will be resistant to change

without compulsion from the Justice Department.

Starting in mostly-blue Virginia is great, but change in places like Texas will likely be a long time coming.

[Sunlei]

14. WuWu! President Obamas on this team of good guys.

"Former president Barack Obama has said supporting the group’s efforts would be one of his top priorities after leaving office."