Supreme Court Okays Gerrymandering
Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, July 20, 2018 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler
Every ten years, before and after the census, “gerrymandering” becomes part of the political conversation, because the census is used to determine district lines for Congress, the General Assembly, and the Public Service Commission. Judicial district marshals performed the first census in 1790 by visiting households and recording each person living there. Mail-out census forms were first used in 1960 and, since then, census data has been available on computer.
Since the constitution does not mandate straight district lines and the census was implemented to provide equal representation for voters, by 1812 district lines had become so erratic that the word “gerrymandering” was created to describe Massachusetts districts that were drawn to defeat the Federalist Party. Those lines were so crooked they were compared to a salamander, a mythical lizard. Gerrymandering was coined by using the Honorable Mr. Gerry’s name, the last two syllables of salamander, and adding “ing.”
In Georgia, the 2001 new district maps were not finalized until 2004. Although then-Governor Roy Barnes called two special legislative sessions to get it done, legislators did the work, but Barnes rejected the maps. One map squeezed 180 house members into 147 districts, meaning 23 of the most heavily populated house districts had two, three, or four representatives. Also, during those years, three lawsuits were filed.On February 10, 2004, the court threw out the three lawsuits, and ordered new maps by March 1st . When legislators missed the deadline, the court appointed a redistricting committee to produce new maps within two weeks. The maps drawn by that committee won federal approval at the end of March, just in time for the 2004 elections.
Why is this important? A month ago, on June 18 th the U.S. Supreme Court, in a surprise move, voted 9-0 to let current district maps stand. That decision did not address gerrymandering.
I said all that to say this: The party in power in the governor’s office and the General Assembly at census time will dominate the reapportionment process. To assure equal representation for the people, they will redraw districts based on population shifts over the last ten years. Also, theycan , and probably will , draw those lines to improve their party’s chance of winning elections.
Legislators elected in November will take office for two-year terms in January 2019 and will serve through 2020. Those elected and reelected in 2020 will draw new district lines in 2021. Since reapportionment is coming soon, we must elect conservatives at every opportunity! For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.