June 20, 2018 The Skanner Page 9
News
By David A. Lieb
Associated Press
U.S.
Supreme
Court ruling Mon-
day on redistrict-
ing lawsuits in
Wisconsin and Mary-
land comes as several
states already are con-
sidering changes to the
criteria and processes
that will be used to draw
legislative districts after
the 2020 Census.
In most places, the state
legislature and governor
are responsible for redis-
tricting U.S. House and
state legislative seats.
More than a dozen states
primarily use boards or
commissions to redraw
state legislative districts,
and about a half-dozen
do so for congressional
districts.
Here’s a look at pro-
posed redistricting mea-
sures that already have
been — or are likely to be
— placed on ballots this
year:
A
COLORADO
Issues: Two proposed
constitutional
amend-
ments placed on the Nov.
6 ballot by the state Legis-
lature affecting congres-
sional and state legisla-
tive redistricting.
Status quo: Congress:
four Republicans, three
Democrats. State Senate:
18 Republicans, 16 Dem-
ocrats, one independent.
State House: 36 Demo-
crats, 29 Republicans.
Current process: For
Congress, the state Leg-
islature passes a redis-
tricting plan by a ma-
jority vote, subject to a
gubernatorial veto. For
the Legislature, House
and Senate districts are
drawn by an 11-member
commission consisting
of four bipartisan legis-
lative appointees, three
gubernatorial appoin-
tees and four members
chosen by the chief jus-
tice. Maps are automat-
ically submitted to the
state Supreme Court for
review and, if rejected,
the commission is given
another chance to draw
maps.
Proposed
process:
For both Congress and
state legislative cham-
bers, a 12-person com-
mission — consisting of
four Republicans, four
Democrats and four in-
dependents — would be
selected from a pool of
applicants. Half would
be chosen randomly
and the rest by a judicial
panel. Nonpartisan leg-
islative staff would draft
proposed maps for the
commission’s approval,
which would require at
least eight votes includ-
ing two from indepen-
dents. The state Supreme
Court then would review
the maps to determine
whether legal criteria
were followed. If not, leg-
islative staff would draft
a new plan for the com-
mission to submit to the
court.
Proposed criteria: Dis-
tricts would have to be
nearly equal in popu-
lation, compact and as
much as possible pre-
serve communities of in-
terest such as racial and
ethnic groups and whole
cities and counties. The
commission also would
have to “maximize the
number of politically
competitive districts.”
OHIO
Issue: Constitutional
amendment
affecting
congressional redistrict-
ing, approved by 75 per-
cent of voters on May 8.
Status quo: Congress: 11
Republicans, four Demo-
crats, one vacancy.
Old process: State Leg-
islature passes a redis-
tricting plan by a ma-
jority vote, subject to a
gubernatorial veto.
New process: State
Legislature passes a
redistricting plan by
a three-fifths majority
with support of at least
half the members of the
majority and minority
parties, subject to a gu-
bernatorial veto. If that
fails, districts are drawn
by a seven-member com-
mission composed of
two majority and two
minority party lawmak-
ers, the governor, au-
ditor and secretary of
state; approval requires
four votes, including
two each from majority
and minority party com-
missioners. If that fails,
the Legislature may pass
a plan by a three-fifths
vote with the support of
at least one-third of the
majority and minority
party members, subject
to a gubernatorial veto.
If that fails, the Legisla-
ture may pass a plan by
a majority subject to a
gubernatorial veto, but
it would remain in effect
for only four years in-
stead of 10.
New Criteria: Districts
must protect racial mi-
nority voting rights, be
compact and contiguous,
and limit the number of
counties and cities that
are split among multiple
districts.
MICHIGAN
Issue: Petition signa-
tures submitted for a
proposed constitutional
amendment on the Nov. 6
ballot affecting congres-
sional and state legisla-
tive redistricting. The
state appeals court has
ordered that it be certi-
fied for the ballot, but an
appeal is pending with
the Michigan Supreme
Court.
Status quo: Congress:
nine Republicans, four
Democrats, one vacancy.
State Senate: 27 Republi-
cans, 10 Democrats, one
vacancy. State House: 63
Republicans, 46 Demo-
crats, one vacancy.
Current process: State
Legislature passes redis-
tricting plans by a ma-
jority vote, subject to a
gubernatorial veto.
Proposed process: Dis-
tricts would be drawn
by a 13-member citizens’
commission, composed
of four Democrats, four
Republicans and five in-
dependents
randomly
selected by the secretary
of state from among ap-
plicants. Approval of
districts would require a
majority vote with sup-
port of at least two Dem-
ocrats, two Republicans
and two independents.
If that fails, each com-
missioner would submit
PHOTO CRIS GONZALES (CC BY-SA 3.0) VIA WIKIPEDIA
Redistricting Changes Headed to the Ballot in Several States
See DISTRICTS on page 11
This photo portrays the Colorado state capitol in Denver. Colorado
is one of a handful of states that will vote on changes to its
congressional districts this fall.
CARE ABOUT
COMMUNITY
POLICING?
Apply to sit on the
Portland Committee on
Community-Engaged Policing
APPLICATIONS DUE
JULY 2
APPLY ONLINE:
www.portlandoregon.gov/wheeler/76741
LEARN MORE:
www.portlandoregon.gov/wheeler/article/681102
CONTACT:
PCCEP Facilitator Brandon Lee:
T4T@portlandpccep.com
PCCEP Facilitator Brad Taylor:
BTG@portlandpccep.com
The City of Portland is committed to providing meaningful access.
For accommodations, translation, interpretation or other services, please contact
Mandi Hood at mandi.hood@portlandoregon.gov or (503) 319-7736