Redistricting Reform in the 81st Session?

by: JeffBrooks

Sat Feb 07, 2009 at 03:02 PM CST

Despite the poor prospects for redistricting reform, Representative Mark Strama had filed legislation in the House and Senator Jeff Wentworth had done the same in the Senate.  Wentworth's bill, as it had previously done, eventually passed through the Senate and was sent to the House.  Rather to everyone's surprise, Representative Crabb did hold hearings on both  bills (on my birthday, which was a nice treat).  Of course, that was as far as either bill progressed through the legislative process, but the very fact that hearings were held at all marked an improvement on the previous session.

Nothing daunted, both Strama and Wentworth have again filed their redistricting reform bills in the 81st Session.  Is there any chance they might advance beyond the committee stage this time around?  With the Republican majority shaved down to a single seat, and with the iron hand of Craddick no longer hanging over the legislators, could we finally see action on this issue?

The legislation of Strama and Wentworth both envision removing the power to draw congressional districts from the state legislature and giving it to some kind of nonpartisan commission.  Wentworth's bill, for example, would create a commission of nine members, with two members chosen by the House Republicans, two by House Democrats, two by Senate Republicans, two by Senate Democrats, and a nonvoting chair chosen by the other eight.  Both bills would restrict political activities by members of the commission; for example, no member of the commission could campaign for political office or actively support a candidate for political office during their tenure.

Perhaps more importantly, the bills lay out standards which must be adhered to by the commission in drawing up redistricting plans.  Strama's bill stipulates that the commission cannot take into consideration the residency location of specific individuals or the past political performance of geographic areas.  Wentworth's bill requires ("to the extent reasonable") all new districts to be "compact and convenient" and to take into account natural barriers and political subdivision borders (i.e. county lines).  Previous bills that Wentworth has filed have also included a prohibition against using political performance in considering new districts, but he has apparently concluded that his bill has a better chance of becoming law without that provision.

Such commissions as Strama and Wentworth envision are currently in operation in several states around the country.  While certainly not without their problems, it does appear that they have increased electoral competition and contributed to a more equitable representation of the voters within the congressional delegations.

Neither Strama's nor Wentworth's bill is perfect, but either would be a massive improvement on the current situation.  As we saw during the chaotic spring and summer of 2003, there is presently nothing that prohibits the party in control of the legislature to blatantly draw congressional districts in such a way as to maximize their own partisan advantage.  This is an affront to anyone who sincerely believes in the ideals of representative democracy.

One of the things which most surprised me when I lobbied for redistricting reform was in 2007 the reluctance of many Democrats to support it.  As the reasoning went, eventually the Democrats would regain control of the state legislature, and we could then screw the Republicans just as the Republicans had screwed us in 2003.  Even from a purely partisan point of view, this seemed silly to me; while we have an excellent chance of regaining the House in 2010, it will obviously be some time before we regain the Senate.  But more to the point, it struck me as a violation of our party's ideals.  Hypocrisy may not be one of the Seven Deadly Sins, but it should be.

We live in a state with a fascinating and dynamic political landscape, and genuine redistricting reform would enhance electoral competition and serve to encourage greater political participation.  And for those of my fellow Democrats who relish the idea of using the redistricting power to screw the Republicans when we are able to regain control of the legislature, I would simply ask them to consider being democrats as well as Democrats.

Five Years Ago: "The Stephen Colbert House for Democratic Runaways"

by: Mark Duncan

Wed Nov 14, 2007 at 07:21 PM CST

Keeping in line with the great coverage this week on where Texas Democrats were five years ago and all the fallout from the GOP takeover in 2002, with a bit of levity, here's a story Stephen Colbert did as a correspondent for the Daily Show in 2003 on redistricting in Texas.

Poll about Michael McCaul

by: BeckyH

Mon Jun 25, 2007 at 05:52 PM CDT

So, I've been talking to a friend about our congressman, Michael McCaul, and we were comparing our level of service as constituents. I sent Mr. McCaul an e-mail from his own website a week & a half ago (they've had it for 8 working days, by my count), about a legitimate constituent concern (funding cuts for the National Library Service for the Blind). Completely non-political. Well, as non-political as funding for a federal program can be.

I have had no response whatsoever from my congressman. Nada, nothing, crickets chirping. Yes my e-mail address is somewhat partisan (anotherdemocrat), but I'm still his constituent & I deserve a response to my concerns. When Jake Pickle was my representative & I was involved in the University Democrats, we had some very intense discussions about whether or not we should endorse someone so conservative. I'm sure that the congressman &/or his aides were fully aware of what was said in those meetings. I still would have had a written response by now if I had contacted him with similar concerns. And if he was going to fix this problem, it would be on the way to being fixed.

Kronberg: "A Hispanic with charisma (and money) will transform Texas politics"

by: PDiddie

Wed Jun 20, 2007 at 10:12 AM CDT

Let me first say that I left with a tremendously increased respect for Kronberg, who after 18 years of following the Lege is probably better connected than anyone.  Better than Burka, better than Selby, better than Radcliffe.  What I never really got from him before is the insights from all of that history.  Most of you know I'm a history buff; "lessons/doomed to repeat" and all that.

In an evening filled with one cogent analysis after another -- at one point I saw even Rep. Cohen taking notes -- the one that kept my ears ringing a week later is the one in the headline.  But I'll come back to it in a moment.

Redistricting Commission Bill Passes Senate

by: Karl-Thomas Musselman

Mon Apr 16, 2007 at 06:56 PM CDT

Sen. Jeff Wentworth's (R-San Antonio) bill passed the Senate on a vote of 21-9. Those voting against the measure included Estes, Fraser, Harris, Jackson, Nelson, Nichols, Ogden, Patrick, Shapiro and Williams. Bill is likely to have an uphill battle in the House.

This is great, positive development and at least it's passed out of the Senate which is an improvement over sessions where it dies in committee. Of course, we'll see if DeLay takes a break from being majority leader minority leader a nobody to visit his friend Tom Craddick in the Texas House to bend him to his will.

This bill concept needs to pass but I wouldn't place my bets on it. But this is a step in the right direction. (John Courage makes an excellent point in the comments that the Senate bill in wording is outdone by a better bill in the House).

Taking back the Texas 10th District - TrueBlue 10

by: BeckyH

Mon Mar 26, 2007 at 10:21 AM CDT

If Ted Ankrum could come so close, coming from nowhere with little help, then a candidate that starts early with the support of a core group of volunteers can win in 2008. The next Democratic nominee should not have to start from scratch.

We formed a group we call TrueBlue 10. Our goal is to organize this gerrymandered district & wrest control of it in the next election. We decided to organize the district, not as a candidate committee. We are willing to look at any Democrat who is seriously interested in running.

Straight Democratic Party Voting - More Than One Box

by: sonia

Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 11:37 PM CDT

Straight Democratic Party Voting this November election - don't do it.  It's a trap. (Phillip's ed. note: no it's not.)

For a good Democrat to tell other good Democrats not to vote a straight party ticket sounds insane. Especially this year when we have such a great slate of candidates. I mean it though, and Lloyd Doggett and John Courage will tell you the same thing this time around. 

This Nov. 7th election is special. So special in fact, that it's really two separate elections if you live in any of these Congressional Districts 15, 21, 23, 25 or 28.  These are the five US Congressional Districts that just got re-re-re-districted.  The Congressional races on Nov. 7th in those districts are like open primary races.  At least two of these races have more than five candidates running (CD21 & CD23).  If no candidate wins their open primary race with more than 50% of the vote, a runoff of the top two vote getters will occur probably in December.

Final List of Re-Re-Districting Candidates

by: Matt Glazer

Fri Aug 25, 2006 at 06:09 PM CDT

Interestingly, Albert Uresti (future state senator Carlos Uresti's brother) filed in CD-23 against Rodriguez, Bolanos, and Bonillia.

CD-21 ended up fielding a lot more candidates than originally expected including 3 independents, 1 and a half democrats, 1 republican, a libertarian, and the Treaty Oak.

The only person getting a free ride this go around is Rubén Hinojosa the Congressman in CD-15.

The complete list is below the fold.

At times like these, Congress needs Courage!

by: JCourage

Wed Aug 23, 2006 at 07:49 PM CDT

Travis County, Redistricted, Then and Now.

by: jelyon

Sun Aug 06, 2006 at 04:53 PM CDT