Friday, February 12, 2016

Maryland Legislation to End Congressional Gerrymandering with Fair Representation


Senator Jamin B. (Jamie) Raskin (D), District 20, in a Democratically-controlled legislature, has long suggested the best way to hold Congressional elections is with fair representation voting.

His new legislation presents a creative way to end the national standoff. He has proposed entering in an interstate compact.

This is a contract among states, for example the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey or the National Popular Vote plan for President, that would first involve negotiation with the state of Virginia, hence the name “Potomac Compact”.

Senator Raskin’s proposed compact would end having ugly districts, but more importantly end ugly representation and lack of competition: it allows Maryland, Virginia and other states to escape the single-winner district gerrymandering system altogether.

It proposes that Maryland and any other participating states, starting with negotiations with Virginia, form independent redistricting commissions that are empowered to create Congressional districts in which multiple candidates are elected, rather than a single candidate per district, as is currently the case.

By allowing more than one voice to represent a district, the new plan would break up the monopoly that one party or another has on representation in an area. It still would need Congressional consent to go into place, but it would be Congress consenting to plans agreed to by the participating states.

Maryland would be divided into two super-districts: one with five seats and another with three seats. Winning in the three-seat district would take just over 25 percent of the vote. Winning two seats would take just over 50 percent, and sweeping all three would take more than 75 percent. In the five-seat district, winning one seat would take about 17 percent of the vote, and winning a majority of three seats would take just over 50 percent. The result would be fair representation of every major political force in the state.

From a partisan perspective, backers of both major parties would almost certainly have the power to help elect at least one candidate in each super-district. The Democratic majority in the state would still be likely to win most seats, but not all of them. All voters in the state would experience competitive elections, even while very likely helping to elect at least one candidate who truly represents their views.











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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