City-County Council approves redistricting plan
The following report from Indianapolis Recorder writer Tyler Fenwick was first published in the Recorder, and is shared through The Indiana Citizen redistricting reporting project. The Indianapolis City-County Council voted to approve new local voting districts May 2, bringing an end to the once-per-decade redistricting process that was challenged by some but ultimately didn’t draw much interest. The new districts will be in effect for the next council and mayoral elections in 2023. The redistricting ordinance, Proposal No. 157, passed 22-3. Voting no were Democrat Monroe Gray, Republican Michael Paul Hart and recent Democrat-turned-independent Ethan Evans. In a statement after…
Common Cause says process rather than result is the problem with council’s redistricting maps, and offers a citizen-drawn alternative
Julia Vaughn says Indianapolis City-County Council leaders did some things right when they drew a proposed new map of council districts. But that doesn’t make up for flaws in how the map was created. “I think, in some ways, they did good job,” said Vaughn, policy director of Common Cause Indiana. “There’s good things to be said about the map, but not a lot of good to be said about the process.” Common Cause’s objection to the process is that the council’s map was created by leaders of the Democratic supermajority, working with the Ice Miller law firm. As with…
With bipartisan support and in front of a small audience, council committee approves redistricting plan
The following report from Indianapolis Recorder writer Tyler Fenwick was first published in the Recorder, and is shared through The Indiana Citizen redistricting reporting project. If this was supposed to be the redistricting grand finale, the fireworks stand tipped over and the few people who cared to watch the show went home disappointed. An Indianapolis City-County Council committee hosted a public hearing April 12 on a proposed district map that will shape local elections for the next decade. About 10 people attended, and most were affiliated with a reform group that attends virtually any meeting dealing with redistricting. The Rules…
Indy Democrats unveil proposed council districts; public hearing set for April 12
Democratic leaders of the Indianapolis City-County Council will introduce proposed new council districts at a meeting tonight. The districts, if approved, would take effect for 2023 city elections. A map of the proposed districts was posted online late last week. A public hearing on the proposal will place at an April 12 meeting of the council’s Rules and Public Policy Committee. Council leaders haven’t said if there will be additional hearings on the districts. Council leaders rejected requests from redistricting reform advocates that they appoint an independent commission to create new election maps, an approach taken by Monroe County and the…
City-County Council receives redistricting report, continues to rebuff proposal for citizens commission
The following report from Indianapolis Recorder writer Tyler Fenwick was first published in the Recorder, and is shared through The Indiana Citizen redistricting reporting project. A consulting group tasked with gathering input on redistricting for the City-County Council released a report that details what residents are most concerned about as councilors prepare to enact new voting districts, though a forum series meant to solicit feedback may have skewed whiter and wealthier than Marion County in general. The 57-page document, released by Engaging Solutions on March 9, details what the group heard from residents through nine in-person forums and one virtual…
A NEW VOICE FOR REFORM: In northern Indiana city of Goshen, mayor’s call leads to independent redistricting commission
Goshen has joined the very short list of Indiana cities that are turning to citizen commissions to take at least some of the politics out of redistricting. The northern Indiana city of 35,000 will establish a commission to redraw its five city council election districts in response to population changes in the 2020 census. Final approval of the new districts will be up to the council, per Indiana law. Goshen Mayor Jeremy Stutsman, a Democrat, proposed the idea last month. The council, with a 4-3 Republican majority, approved it March 7, albeit with changes from the mayor’s plan. “I saw…