Tag: gerrymandering

Categories
News and Updates

Public Hearings on Districting: Speak Up for a Better Alabama!

Photo Credit: ALToday.com/Adam Powell

The U.S Census released its once-a-decade data of everyone living in the country on August 12. It has already initiated a process that will affect Alabama for many years to come! 

This process is known as the redistricting process, which should be an alert for all of us who love our state and the communities we call home. Gerrymandering has been an ongoing problem throughout the South’s history dating back decades. And today, elected officials continue to use gerrymandering to maintain power instead of creating a more reflective, prosperous state. 

In recent years, there is a groundswell to introduce new legislation that would curb this issue by creating independent commissions instead of state legislatures that decide how district maps can be drawn after each census count is released.

What’s next in the redistricting process? Public hearings!

Alabama lawmakers have scheduled 28 public hearings in early September on new district maps for Congress, the Legislature, and the state Board of Education based on population changes shown by the 2020 Census. The public hearings will be held at community colleges across the state, and Alabamians are welcome to attend these public meetings to share their viewpoints on the upcoming process.

Public hearings have become more commonplace over recent years as governing bodies seek public input before making decisions or taking action on legislation. Public opinion is valued highly these days because it has been proven time and again how powerful dialogue about specific topics can influence outcomes such as representation. This input is supposed to be used towards the redrawing of district lines, which has an impact on just about every aspect of your day-to-day life; for example:

This input will be used towards the redrawing of district lines, which has an impact on just about every aspect of your day-to-day life; for example: 

  •  Access to affordable healthcare options. 
  •  The school zones you fall into and the quality of education your children receive. 
  • Access to community resources such as quality infrastructure and the safety standards that are established during a global pandemic.
  • And most importantly, whether or not your community gets the fair representation you deserve. 

View the list of Alabama public hearings dates and locations here

If you’re not used to participating in local and state government, there’s no better time than now to learn about your local issues and make your voice heard. Redistricting will unquestionably impact your life, so get involved today and make a plan to attend a public hearing in September. We’ll see you there!

Categories
History

The History of Racial Gerrymandering

Racial gerrymandering is a term that’s used to describe the practice of diluting representation within communities of different races. It’s a form of voter suppression and was used to try and give one elected official or candidate an advantage over their opponent. Let’s take a deeper look into the history of racial gerrymandering and how minority communities are still affected by partisan gerrymandering today. You can learn more about what partisan gerrymandering is and how it dismantles fair representation here.

What Is Racial Gerrymandering?

Unlike partisan gerrymandering, racial gerrymandering – intentionally drawing district lines to diminish the voting power of a protected minority – is illegal. Racial gerrymandering commonly occurred by using two different methods. Firstly, the term ‘cracking’ refers to splitting up communities with common interests, diluting their representation for the issues that matter to their community. ‘Packing’ refers to concentrating the voices of minority communities into one district, minimizing the number of representatives advocating for their communities. Elected officials are no longer allowed to do this based on race, but these methods are still used.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. It is one of the most significant civil rights laws in history and works to guarantee the voting rights of minorities under the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. On May 25, 1965, the bill was passed by the U.S. Senate. It banned literacy tests and allowed the U.S. attorney general the right to investigate poll taxes and their use within elections. In addition to these and dozens of other voter protections, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed racial gerrymandering. Maps that violate racial gerrymandering laws are challenged in court and often thrown out. 

How Gerrymandering Still Impacts Communities of Color Today

Gerrymandering is still being used today and affects minority communities throughout the country. The two methods of gerrymandering we discussed earlier, packing and cracking, are the key ways elected officials sway representation. Many Black, Brown, Hispanic, Asian, and other minority communities lose access to valuable resources. These may include affordable healthcare options, government programs, and quality education.

Alabama Election Protection Network is working to engage and educate Alabamians on the importance of fair districting. Find out how you can get involved and stand up for the issues that matter to you here.

Categories
Articles

How Elected Officials Use Gerrymandering to Dismantle Fair Representation

The foundation of fair representation lies in an American process known as redistricting. Redistricting is how politicians draw district lines for representation at the federal, state, and local levels. The line drawing process is undertaken every ten years, and in theory, allows communities and residents to vote for representatives that understand and care about the issues that impact them. These issues include access to healthcare and education, public safety, or public welfare – for example, how we invest in education, public parks, libraries, or roads.

As early as 1812, government officials have used gerrymandering in the redistricting process to tilt political power in favor of a particular politician or political party. It has also been used to diminish the voting power of Black, Brown, and other minority communities. Gerrymandering is a dangerous byproduct of the necessary redistricting process. Currently, state legislatures or redistricting commissions are responsible for the process by which district lines are drawn. The way that district lines are drawn effectively determines our representation within every branch and level of the government.

In Alabama, the state legislature appoints a Reapportionment Committee to conduct the redistricting process. The Reapportionment Committee establishes the state’s redistricting guidelines that are approved by the state legislature. These guidelines must adhere to the 14th and 15th amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Alabama state constitution. However, these laws are sufficiently broad and subject to interpretation, clearing an easy path for manipulation by the party in power.

The two most commonly used techniques politicians use to consolidate their power over the communities they are supposed to represent are “packing” and “cracking.” Packing places all or a majority of ‘like-minded voters’ into a single district, consolidating their voting power to limit its reach. Cracking splits a specific voting block among multiple districts to ensure they are a minority in all of them, diluting their voting power. 

The charts below show cracking (left under gerrymandering) and packing (right under gerrymandering) for two hypothetical voting blocs. 

By doing this, elected officials sway representation to the detriment of targeted communities. Elected officials can target any community, but most commonly, they are composed of people who historically vote for one political party or Black, Brown, or other minority communities. In the South, in particular, gerrymandering has seen widespread use in undermining the ability of minority communities to receive fair representation.

You can advocate for your community and get involved in the line-drawing process by working with Alabama Election Protection Network here.