REDISTRICTING UPDATE: We’re losing the fight for fair maps
The following is written by Alan Mills, a member of the Indiana Citizen Education Foundation board of directors, as an update to his analysis, “Why racial justice requires fair maps,’’ published on August 31, 2021. Sept. 29, 2021 A month has passed since I shared some thoughts on the once-a-decade redistricting process and its implications for communities of color in Indiana. Much has happened in the Indiana General Assembly since then, and I’m sorry to report that not much of it is encouraging. On Sept. 14, Indiana House Republicans released their redrawing of the state’s nine congressional and 100 Indiana…
Senate Republicans redraw 8 Marion County districts; amended map will need House concurrence
Pictured: Proposed Indiana Senate districts as redrawn Tuesday. In a rare moment of bipartisan unanimity -- and one that will at least slightly delay this year's redistricting process -- Indiana Senate Republicans on Tuesday further changed their redrawing of eight Marion County districts, an adjustment that they said was spurred from suggestions in public testimony and from Senate Democrats. The amendment to the Republican-authored redistricting legislation, House Bill 1581, was approved by consent -- meaning there were no objections by any of the seven Republican or two Democratic members -- by the Senate Elections Committee, which later approved the amended…
Youth join veterans in bashing GOP maps at Senate Democrats’ hearing in Bloomington
Bloomington, Ind. -- Tilly Robinson and Alex Kutza (pictured), 17-year-old seniors at Bloomington High School South, look forward to voting for the first time in 2022. But they worry their votes won’t count for as much as they should, thanks to what they see as Indiana’s gerrymandered legislative districts. “I am eager to exercise my democratic rights at the ballot box,” Robinson said Monday at the third redistricting hearing conducted by Indiana Senate Democrats after two held in Gary and South Bend last week. “But I don’t know how I will convince my peers to vote, to advocate, to participate…
Another round of critical testimony as redistricting process approaches its final days
Indiana Senate Republicans on Monday morning heard public testimony for the first time -- and for the last time as well -- on their proposed redrawing of the state's congressional and legislative districts, a process that they are intent on wrapping up during the next four days. Though the final opportunity for public testimony before the Indiana General Assembly on the redistricting legislation, House Bill 1581, the meeting of the Senate Elections Committee drew a crowd comparable to those of two public hearings held earlier this month in the Indiana House, and the first of Monday's speakers said he knew…
John Krull commentary: Gerrymandering, an addiction politicians just can’t break
Some decisions are just too important to leave to politicians. Chief among those decisions is how we citizens decide who will represent us. That process goes by a name—redistricting—that is a cure for insomnia. But it matters, perhaps more than any other question. That’s because we likely won’t be able to solve any of our problems if we don’t solve the redistricting one first. The only way to do that is to give power back to the people—to remind those who hold public office that they do so only with the consent of the governed. Indiana’s state lawmakers have been…
HOUSE PASSES NEW MAPS: Indiana Senate to vote on Republican redistricting plan next week
The legislative responsibility of redistricting occurs only once every 10 years. It's an important responsibility -- organizing the state's congressional and legislative electorate for the next 10 years -- and a big one. In Indiana, there are 159 legislative and congressional districts to weigh against the latest U.S. Census. Thursday morning, the Indiana House of Representatives wrapped it up in 90 minutes. A 67-31 vote, reflecting the strength of the chamber's Republican supermajority, sent the redistricting legislation, House Bill 1581, to the Indiana Senate, which is scheduled to begin and wrap up its review next week. Rep. Gregory Steuerwald (above), R-Avon,…