The League of Women Voters strongly supports “people powered” redistricting. The concept is that redistricting should support legislative districts that represent the people who live there, not the wishes of political parties that draw district maps and boundaries.
A point that is sometimes lost in discussion is that nonpartisan redistricting protects not only voters who support the minority party, but also the minority party itself.
We can see the opposite in the political gerrymandering that is happening throughout the United States. In states with a majority of Democratic voters, we see Republicans losing districts that may have a majority of Republican voters. The opposite is true of states with a majority of Republican voters. While it serves the political wishes of the majority party, it hurts democracy and suppresses the voices of the minority party, thus, in effect, denying some voters meaningful representation.
As our state League works to support legislation and a constitutional amendment to reform redistricting, we will need support from legislators and voters from both parties. Redistricting should support political parties and independents working together for everyone in Washington state. Redistricting should not be used to drown out voices of those we disagree with.
Redistricting–when done right–protects the voices and representation of all voters. A nonpartisan redistricting process ensures democratic representation of all voters, not just those who support the party in power. Republicans, Democrats, and those who are unaffiliated should work together to craft a nonpartisan redistricting process that protects democracy for all.