Gerrymandering
Gerrymandering is a stain on our democracy. Elections should be won with good ideas not by undercover political maneuvering. I have introduced a bill in the Nebraska legislature to fight gerrymandering and will continue to work to make the redistricting process nonpartisan and fair. We must always protect the vote.
Conservative case against gerrymandering
“Fairness” used to be a sacred ideal to conservatives and by definition, gerrymandering isn’t fair. Gerrymandering relies on cheating to tip elections a certain way. Recent news stories recounting outrageous efforts to stack the deck should alarm Democrats and Republicans alike; states must reform their practices. Unless the voting process is 100% fair and clean, a true “marketplace of ideas” isn’t possible. Let’s ensure our process is legitimate and let the best ideas win.
What is gerrymandering?
Though it may seem preposterous, legislators like me draw the lines of our own districts. So if for example a legislator knew a certain part of town was overwhelmingly Republican or overwhelmingly Democratic, they could draw their district line to include or not include these voters to bolster their election chances.
Legislation
I introduced LB 253. Rather than have legislators draw their own district lines, this bill would create independent, bipartisan boards so no lawmaker could manipulate the process for their own benefit.