Gerrymandering and reapportionment
I stuck my head in a room over lunch in what seemed like an interesting topic -- how to increase revenue in the era of "no new taxes" -- but it ended up being a discussion exclusively on lotteries and casinos (topics that have been discussed ad nauseum in Arkansas), so I attended the "drowsy driving" seminar. According to the numbers presented, more fatalities occur by fatigue than by drunk drivers and those under the influence of drugs combined. Rumble strips on the shoulder of highways can help prevent fatalities for those who are already on the road, but the seminar focused on ways to keep fatigued drivers from ever getting behind the wheel.
I'm now sitting in the redistricting seminar. Since we'll undergo redistricting in the not too distant future (2011), I thought this would be a good topic. Unlike Arkansas, many state legislatures are directly involved in redistricting and reapportionment, and this forum discusses how to get the legislature out of the redistricting business. Our constitution prohibits the legislature from tinkering with reapportionment.
How independent is our Board of Apportionment? Many in Arkansas would suggest that being elected attorney general, governor, or secretary of state means that you have the unlimited authority to draw the district lines as you see fit. While everyone must admit that reapportionment is subjective, political gerrymandering has not been an issue in Arkansas like it has in neighboring Texas.
The main issues pertinent to reapportionment include partisan and race-based redistricting and equal population (one-person, one-vote with a 10% variance). In Arkansas, Article 8 of the state Constitution creates the Board of Apportionment, prescribes its duties, and establishes the number and terms of legislators. Article 8 requires redistricting of the General Assembly every 10 years after the federal census. The Board is made up of the governor, attorney general, and secretary of state, and Article 8 has been amended/affected by Amendment 23 and Amendment 45.
I'm now sitting in the redistricting seminar. Since we'll undergo redistricting in the not too distant future (2011), I thought this would be a good topic. Unlike Arkansas, many state legislatures are directly involved in redistricting and reapportionment, and this forum discusses how to get the legislature out of the redistricting business. Our constitution prohibits the legislature from tinkering with reapportionment.
How independent is our Board of Apportionment? Many in Arkansas would suggest that being elected attorney general, governor, or secretary of state means that you have the unlimited authority to draw the district lines as you see fit. While everyone must admit that reapportionment is subjective, political gerrymandering has not been an issue in Arkansas like it has in neighboring Texas.
The main issues pertinent to reapportionment include partisan and race-based redistricting and equal population (one-person, one-vote with a 10% variance). In Arkansas, Article 8 of the state Constitution creates the Board of Apportionment, prescribes its duties, and establishes the number and terms of legislators. Article 8 requires redistricting of the General Assembly every 10 years after the federal census. The Board is made up of the governor, attorney general, and secretary of state, and Article 8 has been amended/affected by Amendment 23 and Amendment 45.
posted by Steve Harrelson @ 8/06/2007 03:15:00 PM | Permalink |
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