Election-district map making is big business in politics. It is time consuming, tense and tentative to the very end. Although the next federal census is five years away, redistricting is emerging as a divisive issue in the state capital.
Bipartisan support is lending momentum to legislation aimed at establishing an Independent Redistricting Commission. If approved, SB 215 would dramatically alter the process of drawing the boundaries of state Senate and House districts.
“It is simply a fair concept. Regardless of which party is in the majority in either chamber, pure incumbent protection is not good,” said Sen. Gary Simpson, R-Milford.
This reasoning might easily be written off, even from a veteran senator, because Republicans are in the senate minority.
However, Simpson is one of many Republicans supporting SB 215, sponsored by Senate Democrat Patricia Blevins of Elsmere.
As the issue gets traction, legislative watchdogs such as John Flaherty, executive director of Common Cause of Delaware, are gaining enthusiasm about the fate of SB 215.
“I believe we will see this come to a public hearing at least,” said Flaherty. “Under the current system we see fewer and fewer meaningful challenges in district elections. This bill could return healthy competition and meaning to the electoral process by allowing the public a clear window on redistricting.”
Lobbyists such as Flaherty were integral to a 2002 lawsuit where private citizens leveled charges against state lawmakers for delaying district mapping. Leaders of both chambers were named as defendants as the redistricting process wore on well past stipulated state deadlines.
“ You would be hard pressed to find anyone who agrees with how the last redistricting lines were created,” said Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach .
Ironically, Schwartzkopf won a reapportioned new district many consider gerrymandered to further the Republican hold on the state House. “I beat the odds and even my amiable and worthy opponent, Mike Meoli, acknowledges that the lines were calculated to favor a Republican,” said Schwartzkopf.
In negotiations to draw election-district maps, the district Schwartzkopf represents was created based on 38 percent growth reported for coastal Delaware in the 2000 federal Census, giving Sussex County additional representation.
With a strong hold on the House, Republican leaders sized up the surrounding area and dramatically changed existing boundaries. “These lines were then drawn to manipulate competition,” said Schwartzkopf.
At the time, sitting legislators compromised by drawing a potential Lewes Republican candidate, Jud Bennett, out of the proposed new district, and certain Democratic Dewey Beach candidate, former Mayor Bob Frederick, out of the new district.
In the 2002 reapportionment, Dewey Beach and Indian River were drawn into the 37th District, now represented by Rep. Gerald Hocker, R-Ocean View.
By law, districts are required to be geographically compact, contiguous and should respect visible boundaries.
“The Indian River Bridge is more than a geographic boundary. This line makes no sense because Rehoboth and Dewey have so many common concerns. Many people told me that they feel so disenfranchised that they do not make the drive to Bethany Beach to vote in the 37th District,” said Schwartzkopf.
Under SB 215, the independent commission would have 11 members, 10 appointed individually by the speaker of the House and the president pro tem of the Senate, and House and Senate leaders and whips.
The 10 appointed commissioners will then select an additional person as chairman. No elected officials or registered lobbyists are eligible and no member may run for the General Assembly in the immediate election.
According to Blevins, each county and the city of Wilmington shall have at least one member.
Critics of the bill are asserting two objections. Opponents of SB 215 say that a nonpartisan panel is not attainable in Delaware , where strong political and economic ties exist statewide.
Additionally, critics said maps based on nothing more than Census data could sever long-standing relationships legislators have cultivated with civic groups, senior centers and neighborhood communities.
For Frank Sims, a registered Independent who led the 2002 lawsuit against the state and legislative leaders, the situation is worthy of further consideration.
“When we vote we lend our rights to those we elect and should expect them to protect our quality of life. When the system is rigged, our rights our diluted,” said Sims. |
