U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Alan Lowenthal re-introduced a resolution calling on the House to commit to the removal of political gerrymandering from congressional redistricting
The Times
U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-1st dist.) and Alan Lowenthal, a California Democrat, last week re-introduced a resolution calling on the House to commit to the removal of political gerrymandering from congressional redistricting and to improve public confidence in the electoral process.
Congressional redistricting is too often subject to partisan politics, the congressmen believe, often drawn behind closed doors to protect incumbent seats by whichever party holds a statewide majority. This results in gerrymandering — where districts are drawn in incongruous shapes and cover vast areas to obtain a desired combination of voters to ensure a certain party’s candidates have the electoral advantage. Many states, led by Arizona and California, have sought to reduce the impacts of gerrymandering by adopting independent redistricting commissions.
In 2018, four more states took steps to limit partisan influence in the redistricting process. Colorado, Michigan, Ohio and Utah all created commissions to either act as a check, or even act as the primary body in drawing congressional districts.
“Partisan gerrymandering has exacerbated electoral complacency that causes lawmakers to focus on accumulating power rather than serving constituents and contributed to the growing divide of partisanship that grinds the gears of government to a halt,” said Fitzpatrick, a former FBI anti-corruption special agent.
The resolution declares that it is “…the sense of the House of Representatives that congressional redistricting should be reformed to remove political gerrymandering.” The resolution claims that gerrymandering leads to decreased electoral competition, diminishment of representation, a decrease in the faith and trust of Americans in congressional elections and is generally harmful to democracy.
Article I of the Constitution grants Congress the authority to regulate the times, places and manner of congressional elections — thus, the authority to regulate state redistricting as it applies to congressional districts, according to the congressmen.
Fitzpatrick and Lowenthal have led several efforts to curb partisan gerrymandering. In September 2017, they joined with colleagues in sending a bipartisan Member of Congress amicus brief in to the Supreme Court for Gill v. Whitford, which challenged the Wisconsin state legislature’s 2011 redistricting map in federal court as an excessively partisan gerrymander barred by the Constitution.
The congressmen have also championed independent redistricting commissions, as practiced in states like Arizona and California, as a democratic, fair solution to address the issue of partisan gerrymandering. ••
