[ad_1]
The once-a-decade technique of drawing new boundaries for legislative and congressional districts is neither an artwork nor a science. It’s extra like assembling an elaborate jigsaw puzzle through which the numerous items can every be match into a couple of place.
Choices about which piece goes the place are pushed by just one onerous and quick rule: the districts all have to include roughly the identical variety of residents. Past that, decisions are made primarily based on values which can be generally at odds.
Within the states the place partisan legislators management who’s appointed to attract the redistricting maps, there is just one overriding worth: draw the traces to profit one occasion and screw over the opposite. In states like Washington the place an unbiased redistricting fee handles the duty, partisanship is normally saved at a minimal and, after loads of horse buying and selling, the district boundaries are settled with basic settlement from each side. Nonetheless, it’s not a easy job and disagreements can find yourself in courtroom.
Disputes come up due to the competing values in play. As an example, some individuals may worth creating as many aggressive districts as potential and so favor breaking apart stable clusters of like-minded voters. Others may worth districts that corral as many citizens of the identical race or ethnicity or set of pursuits to make sure that a selected group has a robust probability of gaining illustration in authorities.
Neither of these approaches is completely proper or undoubtedly fallacious. It simply relies on circumstances and what might greatest serve the general public curiosity.
Within the massive Latino neighborhood centered round Yakima, there has lengthy been a want to see district boundaries realigned to extend the clout of Latino voters. Just lately, U.S. District Courtroom Decide Robert Lasnik dominated in favor of a new legislative district map that resets the traces within the Yakima Valley with the goal of giving Latinos a greater probability to elect candidates. That may be a good factor, proper?
Republicans within the space don’t suppose so, particularly one Republican — Sen. Nikki Torres, a Latina who bought bumped out of her district and into one other one the place there’s already an incumbent state senator. Torres complains that the court-imposed redistricting was not about enhancing the voting rights of Latinos — the redrawn district that leaves her out within the chilly truly has fewer Latino residents — however to tilt the scales towards Democrats.
The more and more numerous Latino neighborhood, as soon as solidly pro-Democrat, is shifting towards the GOP, each on this state and nationally. Torres believes she was focused as a result of she is a part of that shift and the redrawn district preserves the Democratic Social gathering’s benefit.
I can not say for positive who is correct on this case, however the dispute does spotlight a perennial fact: irrespective of how onerous we might attempt to make redistricting a medical exercise that’s honest to all, it’s nonetheless about politics — and politics is all about successful.
See extra of David Horsey’s cartoons at: st.news/davidhorsey
View different syndicated cartoonists at: st.news/cartoons
Editor’s be aware: Seattle Instances Opinion not appends remark threads on David Horsey’s cartoons. Too many feedback violated our community policies and reviewing the handfuls that have been flagged as inappropriate required an excessive amount of of our restricted workers time. You may remark through a Letter to the Editor. Please e mail us at letters@seattletimes.com and embody your full title, deal with and phone quantity for verification solely. Letters are restricted to 200 phrases.
David Horsey is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for The Seattle Instances. His newest ebook is “Drawing Aside: Political Cartoons from a Polarized America.”
[ad_2]
Source link