It's tough to separate politics, redistricting

2006 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Plan for bipartisan panel to draw boundaries gets 1st OK on -- surprise! -- a party-line vote

By Mary Beth Schneider
mary.beth.schneider@indystar.com

January 20, 2006

A bill creating a bipartisan commission to draw legislative district lines passed its first legislative hurdle Thursday -- but along partisan lines.

Each of the seven Republicans on the House Elections Committee voted to support House Bill 1009, which creates the commission, while each of the five Democrats voted no. The bill now moves to the full House for debate.

The legislation is intended to help create more competitive races, so fewer voters go into the polls knowing that one or the other major party has such an enrollment advantage that it's next to impossible for it to lose.

"This is one of the most important bills for the state government's future," said House Speaker Brian C. Bosma, R-Indianapolis. "I truly believe this change is for the great betterment of the political process."

Rep. Gerald R. Torr, the Carmel Republican sponsoring the bill, said the goal is to take politics out of the once-every-decade drawing of legislative districts as much as possible.

"The redistricting process has been abused by both political parties and used by both parties to try to gain an advantage in the election," he said.

The National Conference of State Legislatures said 12 states have redistricting commissions whose opinions are final, two states have advisory commissions and five have commissions that take action only if the legislature doesn't.

The Indiana Constitution puts the job in the hands of lawmakers. That, said Rep. Ed Mahern, D-Indianapolis, is why the commission is a bad idea.

Torr said he considered seeking a constitutional amendment creating the commission but felt the state should try the commission first to see how it works before taking that more permanent step.

Currently, the political party that wins control of the House or Senate in a census year draws the legislative maps for that body, which are supposed to reflect any population shifts. In 2001, for instance, Republicans held, as they do now, the Senate majority and drew those districts, while Democrats who then controlled the House drew up House districts.

Critics say the current system in too many cases has resulted in oddly shaped districts that split communities.

Under Torr's bill, a bipartisan commission would draw the maps. Each of the four legislative leaders -- two from each party and each chamber -- would appoint a member, with the fifth member appointed by the chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court.

Members could not have been legislators, lobbyists, top campaign officials or certain other officeholders for at least six years.

The legislature would have to approve the new maps.

Torr said the goal is to have districts that are compact and easily understood by voters so they have no problem finding out who represents them in the House and Senate.

Rep. Paul J. Robertson, D-Depauw, has been through three legislative redistrictings, including one, he said, in which the district line went straight through his house.

But he opposes the commission, saying that making districts more compact doesn't necessarily lead to more competitive races. Indiana, he said, is a Republican state, but maps drawn in 1991 and 2001 by Democrats have led to a House in which neither party has had a strong majority.

Robertson also warned that making major changes to people's legislative districts will cause an uproar as big as that over moving to daylight-saving time.
"That hits at home," he said.

Call Star reporter Mary Beth Schneider at (317) 444-2772.