The Independent View: Five Ways to Fight Gerrymandering

The Supreme Court, on Thursday, Voted to Remove Challenging Partisan Gerrymandering in Federal Courts.

But the Fight is Not Over.

Here are Five things that can be used to Combat Partisan Gerrymandering:

Support Ballot Initiatives to Reform Redistricting - A number of States have Voted to take Redistricting out of the hands of Lawmakers and instead give the Duty to Independent Commissions. We most recently saw this just last year in Four Different States: Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, and Utah.

This Option is Open to Reformers in a number of other States, including Ohio and Florida.

Elect Supporting Legislatures - We know that if you leave Gerrymandering leaning Legislatures in charge, they’ll draw brutally unfair Maps designed to Entrench their own Power following the Next Census in 2020. But 93 of the Country’s 99 State Legislative Chambers will hold Elections this year and next, and we have the chance to Flip a whole bunch before the next round of Redistricting, including in: Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.

Elect Reforming Governors - 14 Governorships are up for Election in 2019 and 2020. If we Elect Reforming Governors wherever we can, we’ll be able to Block Partisan Gerrymandering.

Elect Fair-Minded State Supreme Court Justices - Many States Elect the Members of their Highest Court, Races that far too often get Overlooked. But Progressives need to start Focusing on them in a major way. Last year, after Pennsylvania Elected a new Liberal Majority to its State Supreme Court, the Justices Overturned the Congressional Gerrymander, and SCOTUS now Will Not touch it. We have the chance to Elect more Progressive State Supreme Court Justices next year in States such as: Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Win the Senate and White House - As its very First Priority of the year, the New House passed H.R.1, a Bill to Protect Voting Rights that also included a Major Provision that would Outlaw Gerrymandering of Congressional Maps.

Now that the Supreme Court voted, we must wage a Multi-Front War against All Forms of Gerrymandering.