A new dynamic for Fair District amendments EDITORIAL - Endorsement by Crist could be game-changer in vote

The Bradenton Herald
June 6, 2010

With Gov. Charlie Crist’s stated support of two constitutional amendments that would ban the politically charged practice of gerrymandering, the prospects of both passing improve.

If the now independent candidate for U.S. Senate becomes a highly visible champion of the two measures and campaigns for both as good for the people, then we figure those odds rise exponentially.

Florida Republicans must be shuddering over the potential loss of power. Had Democrats ruled the Legislature now, they, too, would cringe at the thought.

Amendments 5 and 6 would force lawmakers to follow strict redistricting standards instead of the current practice of redrawing legislative and congressional districts to favor either incumbents or the party in power.

Legislators accomplish gerrymandering by using voter registration information and computer models, putting enough of their party voters in as many districts as possible to secure victory while at the same time isolating large numbers of the opposition party into fewer districts to dilute their strength. That allows the party in power to retain control of the state Legislature. Simply put, politicians pick their voters.

Amendments 5 and 6 — put on the ballot via a petition drive conducted by a bipartisan group called Fair Districts Florida — propose to turn that around and put power back in the hands of voters. District boundaries would be required to follow existing geographic and political boundaries when possible. Neighborhoods and communities should be kept together.

As it now stands, state House District 55 encompasses downtown St. Petersburg along with a strip of the urban cores of Palmetto, Bradenton and Sarasota — segregating a heavily Democratic populace into just one district and slicing communities into two or three districts. That’s just one of the many egregious cases of gerrymandering.

As required in the U.S. Constitution, Florida and every other state will redraw legislative and congressional boundaries in 2012 based on population statistics from the 2010 U.S. Census. Our Legislature will remain in the hands of Republicans then, and Bradenton GOP Sen. Michael “Mike” Bennett will sit on the legislative reapportionment committee.

GOP lawmakers inserted a poison pill onto the Nov. 2 ballot in an attempt to confuse voters and defeat Amendments 5 and 6. Republican leaders claim Amendment 7 will protect minority districts while also clarifying the other two amendments. But the language in Amendment 7 clearly abolishes the competing proposals by stating passage would place it “without subordination to any other provision.” That means if all three amendments pass, only 7 will count.

In May, the Florida NAACP, Democracia Ahora and the Florida League of Women Voters filed a lawsuit in Tallahassee asking the court to remove Amendment 7 because of the misleading language, calling it “a brazen attempt by those in power to continue their absolute control of the redistricting process.” Florida NAACP President Adora Obi Nweze further stated the “potential impact of Amendment 7 on minority voters ... is deeply troubling.”

We agree that Amendment 7 is a sham.

Opponents of the Fair District amendments cite legitimate concerns about implementation, noting the rules will be next to impossible to achieve and redistricting will likely end up in the courts. But that’s far preferable to the status quo.

This is not about loosening the GOP’s grip on power. The Democratic Party has abused the redistricting system in the past, too.

Plus, in 1993, House Democrats defeated an amendment calling for the creation of a redistricting commission which would have followed similar guidelines in the Fair District proposals. As a senator then, Crist supported that measure.

In making his endorsement for Amendments 5 and 6 last month, Crist told the Miami Herald’s Editorial Board: “Some people have gotten so rigid about their adherence to the party before doing what’s right for the people, it’s hurting our country.”

We concur. The reigning political philosophy of party first, foremost and forever has led to extreme partisanship and gridlock.

Crist’s endorsement of the Fair District amendments changes the dynamic considerably, for the better. We encourage him to continue voicing support.