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Most people are unaware of the importance of the cards controlling who represents them in the state assembly and in Congress. Public hearings currently being held statewide, as well as virtually, are a good start to educating and receiving public comment. But there is still a long way to go to alert the public to the process. Regular emails that representatives send to voters as well as media coverage would be great places to start.
In testimony before the redistribution committee on September 9, members of the League of Voters asked the committee to tell people how these cards are created. We also asked what criteria are used to draw the new maps based on the 2020 census data. We would like to know how we find out what these criteria are? Additionally, how will demographic changes affect Congressional District 2, which is geographically the largest district in the state?
What is the effect of the change on the way incarcerated persons are counted? Have the cards already been drawn? How and when will the public have access to the maps? We wonder why one of the data files posted on the committee’s website includes the addresses of the incumbents. Why is this information particularly important and how will it be used to determine new district lines?
We appreciate the committee’s declaration that a fair process will be conducted by non-partisan staff. However, for this process to be truly fair and non-partisan, we believe it should be led by a committee of citizens who are in no way beholden to politicians. The process described by the committee has not worked within constitutional deadlines for all districts since 1981, according to the National Conference of State Legislators.
We respectfully request that more effort be made to alert the public to the redistribution than is currently happening as well as to educate the public on how decisions are made as part of this process. And as a long-term goal, we urge the reassignment committee to begin the process of amending the constitution to allow the reassignment process to be apolitical.
Dr Kimberly Blake is co-chair of the League of Women Voters of Southeastern Connecticut. Irene Weiss is the chair of the Voter Services / Advocacy Committees, LWV of Southeast Connecticut. Blake made the remarks before the Legislative Redistribution Committee in Norwich on September 9.
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