(C) Minnesota Reformer
This story was originally published by Minnesota Reformer and is unaltered.
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We need an independent redistricting commission [1]
['More From Author', 'August', 'Annastacia Belladonna-Carerra']
Date: 2023-08-03
Redistricting is the process by which we redraw congressional and legislative maps after the decennial census, and it affects political power in Minnesota — who has it, and who doesn’t. It determines whether communities are represented by legislators who will fight for their interests when resources for education, fire departments, parks and roads are distributed.
Unlike a growing number of U.S. states, Minnesota creates a clear conflict of interest by giving the power to draw our voting districts to elected officials who run in those districts.
Even so, only one congressional redistricting plan and one state legislative plan have been approved by both chambers of the Legislature, signed into law by the governor, and passed state constitutional muster over the course of seven redistricting cycles. That’s because the politicians tasked with this important job couldn’t come to an agreement.
When this system breaks down, the power to shape our representation for an entire decade falls to a judicial panel. Though these judicial panels have attempted to consider public input on maps, they have generally seen their mandate as drawing districts that make minimal changes to the existing map.
As a result, these maps often don’t keep up with population changes usually reflected through communities of color. Judge-led redistricting has not served Minnesotans well, but a politician-led process would be even worse. As countless examples across the country at the congressional, state and local level have proven, elected officials cannot help themselves from manipulating our voting districts for personal or partisan advantage.
Ultimately, the people — not the judiciary or the Legislature — are best equipped to design our own voting maps. It’s time to put Minnesotans first.
For years, we’ve been working toward grassroots-driven, people-centered redistricting reform that removes politicians from the process altogether and gives power back to Minnesotans. This reform centers on the creation of an independent redistricting commission, or IRC.
IRCs place the people in control. They exclude partisan political insiders and lobbyists while mandating partisan balance between Democrats, Republicans and Minnesotans affiliated with smaller political parties or unaffiliated altogether. They maximize transparency by requiring all discussions of maps take place in public hearings and encourage public engagement by ensuring that those hearings happen across the state. IRCs are also usually accompanied by nonpartisan redistricting principles that put people first.
Don’t worry: This isn’t a new concept.
We’ve already seen IRCs at work in several states. For example, in Michigan, maps drafted by an IRC centered communities in the process and reversed a partisan gerrymander that skewed political outcomes. The Michigan IRC hosted 120 public hearings and accepted over 30,000 public comments, conducting an inclusive process in the Great Lake State.
As a result, Michigan’s current maps focus on fair representation for communities, ensure that seats won will actually reflect votes cast and allow Michiganders to hold their elected officials accountable on Election Day.
In a purple state such as Minnesota, following Michigan’s example could mean the difference between true representation and partisan-backed decisions that help each party maintain the status quo.
The status quo works for political parties, but not for Minnesotans.
Redistricting impacts whether Minnesota’s diverse communities are represented in our legislative body. With an IRC shaping our voting maps, we can ensure that Minnesotans of color, Indigenous communities and other historically disenfranchised Minnesotans have a fair shot at electing candidates who represent their worldview and will fight for their interests.
We had to sue the state in order to carve an equitable voice and place at the litigation table for Minnesotans of color and other disenfranchised Minnesotans. Our participation improved redistricting outcomes, but empowering all Minnesotans to shape fair representation should not require joining a lawsuit. It should be the most prominent feature of our redistricting structure.
Everyday Minnesotans don’t want Republican or Democratic maps — we want fair maps. Maps that give us a voice in our government. Maps that include us regardless of political party, race, ethnicity or zip code. We want maps drawn through a transparent process, not behind locked doors.
We deserve better, and it’s time for us to decide who gets to represent us and lifts our voices.
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[1] Url:
https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/08/03/we-need-an-independent-redistricting-commission/
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