This is how we fix this
We have huge news.
Today, in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma we helped launch People Not Politicians, a new organization that is entirely focused on ending gerrymandering in Oklahoma. [Read the press release here.]
If you’ve been listening to our Gerrymandering Oklahoma podcast series, you know that the term “gerrymandering” refers to the process where politicians draw voting districts for personal gain. And, as we’ve discussed, while the Supreme Court has ruled that racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional, the issue of political gerrymandering continues to plague our country. People Not Politicians wants to eliminate gerrymandering of all types.
The problem with gerrymandering is simple: when politicians get to pick their own voters, they pick the ones they know will vote for them no matter what. That means they can pretty much do (or not do) whatever they want while they’re in office. And when you realize that…well, suddenly it makes a lot more sense why our state continues to be at the bottom of the list when it comes to education funding, health outcomes, life expectancy, crumbling bridges, etc. When politicians aren’t held accountable to voters, the darn wheels come off and the state kinda begin to fall apart.
Politicians have been gerrymandering for their personal gain forever. Consequently, they are the only ones who don’t want to change the law. In fact, both parties have attempted to create independent redistricting commissions in the past - but every time they tried, the other party blocked it. It seems clear that the legislature is not going to do the right thing on their own - and that’s why we, the people, have to do it ourselves.
Beat ‘em at the ballot
Today People Not Politicians filed a petition with the Secretary of State to place an initiative on the ballot that would create an independent redistricting commission - comprised of regular citizens, not politicians or their cronies - to be the ones who draw voting district lines. This is the best way to end gerrymandering - by removing politicians from the process altogether.
This commission will be fully open and transparent to public. We’ll have input into the process up front and we will know exactly how and why the lines are being drawn the way they are. This will result in a redistricting process that is not just transparent but more fair and more representative of the people of Oklahoma.
In order to get this issue on the ballot, People Not Politicians is going need your help. You can sign up on their website or simply text PEOPLE to 33339.
What about Let’s Fix This?
We’re not going anywhere. We will continue to do what we do best - keeping you informed on issues facing our state and what’s happening at the State Capitol, creating new and fun ways for you to connect with politics and engage with your elected officials, hosting watch parties for The West Wing, etc. And even more exciting than that - we’re growing! We have more folks coming on board to help us create an online civics education program, build out our events calendar, and more! And to do all those things, we need your support!
People Not Politicians is an entirely separate organization, but our passion is the same - to build a better democracy. Our hope is that this is the first of many ways in which we can be involved in helping do just that.
Podcast Series: Gerrymandering Oklahoma
In the next two years, the United States will do two very important things:
Conduct the decennial census (i.e. attempt to count everyone who lives in the country), and
Use the census data to re-draw all the state legislative and congressional districts in the entire country. (This process is called “redistricting.”)
While most folks are aware of the census, many have no idea about redistricting, and for good reason - it often happens behind closed doors, out of the public view. For this series, we sought to learn more about the redistricting process, including how it’s done, how it can be done for dubious purposes, and what options exist to help ensure that it’s done fairly and transparently.
Episode 1: GADDIEMANDERED!
This is the first episode of our "Gerrymandering Oklahoma" mini series. We're joined by OU political science professor Keith Gaddie to discuss the ins and outs of gerrymandering and the legislative redistricting process. (Hint: It's super important and most people have no idea.)
Episode 2: A Cause we all have in Common
Now that we know how legislative redistricting is done and how that process often leads to gerrymandering, we want to talk broadly about how states can prevent politicians from picking their own voters. For that, we speak with Dan Vicuña from Common Cause, to gain some insight on what's worked in other states and how their organization is involved.
Episode 3: Ratf**ked
We wanted to learn more about gerrymandering around the country, so we wanted to talk to a man who literally wrote the book on the topic, David Daley. He is the author of "Ratf**cked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count" and has probably looked at more maps and driven more legislative district boundaries than anyone else in the country.
Episode 4: Power to the People
By now we know what gerrymandering is, how and why it happens, and a few ways to prevent it. But how, exactly, do you get it to stop when the political system is rigged against you? You let the voters take the lead. For this, we spoke with Katie Fahey who started a people-first movement in Michigan in 2018 that led to the formation an independent redistricting commission and virtually eliminated gerrymandering from her state.
Episode 5: People, Not Politicians!
BIG NEWS! A rag-tag group of Oklahomans have banded together to form "People Not Politicians," a nonpartisan organization that has filed a ballot initiative to amend the state constitution to create an independent redistricting commission and end gerrymandering in our state! We hear all about it from their Campaign Manager, whom you might already know...
Links referenced throughout the series
This is the best explanation of gerrymandering you will ever see (Washington Post)
Independent Redistricting: A Primer (our blog post from March 2019)
The Redistricting Game (Fun and harder than you’d think!)
The Gerrymandering Project (FiveThirtyEight)
The Atlas of Redistricting (FiveThirtyEight)
Brennan Center for Justice (Policy experts!)
Ratf**ked: Why Your Vote Doesn't Count by David Daley (Amazon)
Podcast Ep. 74 | Dead Candidates Society (with Megan Funderburk & Bo Broadwater)
Episode Description
Should deceased candidates be allowed to remain on the ballot? We discuss the implications of that situation along with independent redistricting and the structure & finances of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES).
Articles & Links
Legislators to study cost of living adjustments for Oklahoma state retirees (Tulsa World)
Edmond mayoral election and Edmond Sun poll
Our blog post on Independent Redistricting
Will you go to prom with us?
Attend our spring fundraiser and have the prom experience you wish you had back in high school.
Independent Redistricting: A Primer
Many thanks to our intern, Megan Funderburk, for researching and writing this post.
This is our first post in what will be an ongoing series about the issues in our legislative agenda. We’re starting with Independent Redistricting because it’s the most pressing - the census is next year and then redistricting will occur the year after that.
Overview
The United States Constitution mandates that a census be taken every 10 years. States then must begin the process of redrawing both the congressional, state, and municipal districts. This process will begin again after the next census in 2020. District lines group different sets of voters in different ways. This process of redistricting is necessary to accurately reflect population changes and the community represented within the lines. District lines should attempt to keep together “communities of interest,” which can be things like people who hold similar beliefs, eat at the same places, and walk their dogs at the same park. The way district lines are drawn and how voters are grouped together powerfully impacts the representatives that are elected and what policies they will fight for.
Who is in charge of this important process?
Each state decides for themselves, often outlined in their state constitution, but most states put this responsibility solely in the hands of the legislature. Twenty two states use a separate commission to help with the process or to take over the process entirely. Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, and Washington have commissions that take over the redistricting process entirely using an independent commission. These commissions are made up of individuals who are not themselves a part of the state legislature. For these states, the legislature may have a part in choosing the members of the commission but won’t have a hand in drawing the lines themselves.
Why do some states feel the need to remove legislature from the process, either partially or completely?
When the legislature is in charge of redrawing the districts in which they run for office, it leaves the opportunity to manipulate the lines to keep incumbents in power or to dilute the voice of their opposition. When one party controls the legislature, that party then has the ability to serve their own interests by redrawing the lines in their favor. Representatives can then, essentially, choose their own voters. This is called partisan gerrymandering. This can be done by drawing lines to exclude potential opposition or by packing multiple voters of a party into one district or diluting the voters across multiple districts.
What does this mean for Oklahoma?
Oklahoma law allows the party in power to draw the district lines. With the coming 2020 census, we have to ask ourselves if this is our best option? Is there a better alternative to draw state lines to best represent the people?
Although there are criticisms for every redistricting process, there are many advocates for the independent commission. An independent commission is currently used by six states with multiple other states moving in that direction. If created well, an independent commission creates a third party that can mitigate the issues that come with the ability of incumbent legislators to draw lines to keep themselves in power. Independent commissions may be the best way to reduce the drawing of lines motivated by self-interest.
The above images are examples of four Oklahoma legislative districts - two House, two Senate, and one of each from each party - that, at least at a glance, appear to be gerrymandered. We’re not saying they necessarily are, but they do serve as a good example of why we need to pay attention to redistricting and push for an independent commission to handle it. The screenshots were taken from the OAEC Digital Legislative Guide app - a free & handy resource for anyone interested in Oklahoma politics.
Redistricting is complicated. There’s no doubt about it. The redrawing of district lines is a long, tedious process that is tough for whomever is in charge, but it’s also necessary. Our democracy relies on our voices being heard and heard equally. But it’s easy to understand that a change is necessary. Leaving the redistricting process in the hands of the very people who stand to directly benefit just doesn’t make sense. Independent commissions provide a realistic alternative that allows for transparency, accountability, and removes heavy and direct partisan involvement.
The Brennan Center for Justice provides a great resource about redistricting that attempts to make all the complicated details manageable.
If you want to try your own hand at the tough job of drawing district line, you can play this online Redistricting Game.