With the Supreme Court ruling upholding Arizona having a non partisan commission draw its election districts Maryland should now show itself to be a good government state and follow Arizona's lead. We are one of the most gerrymandered states in the country.
For many of us in Columbia this our Congressional district represented by John Sarbanes. It has been called a "praying mantas" district because of its shape. Notice how thin lines are drawn between the separate parts of district. How could there be any logic in the drawing of the district other than to insure a safe Congressional district for a Democrat. And I say that as a Democrat who likes Sarbanes representing me in Congress.
If the Republicans in Maryland are looking for a cause that many Democrats would support here is one good government cause for consideration.
#hocoblogs
Previous comment apparently lost in space. So I'll be brief.
ReplyDeleteDisagree until such time as ALL states are required by federal constitutional amendment to do it via so-called non-partisan or independent commissions at the same time. The congressional districts in Republican North Carolina are no things of beauty either. It MATTERS how many members of each party sit in the Congress and state legislature. Maryland Democrats would be fools to commit political suicide by unilaterally going first on this. It shouldn't happen and I don't think it will happen.
Ken Stevens
Good site for advocacy on fair voting. http://www.fairvote.org/research-and-analysis/congressional-elections/monopoly-politics-2014-and-the-fair-voting-solution/
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting approach, Duane. But it would apply only to multi-member districts (such as for most House of Delegates districts in Maryland, the Board of Education (in Howard County at least), Judges of the Orphan's Court, and Central Committees. In general elections, it wouldn't apply to any congressional district or to the US Senate or Governor or County Executive or any seat for which there would be only one winner. So the vast majority of offices (some of which I haven't listed) wouldn't be covered in general elections anyway. I can hear the screams now if someone advocates electing all members of Congress from all states at large from within their state. But that would be the only way the voting system favored by the Fair Vote group would apply to general elections for the US House.
ReplyDeleteKen Stevens