The Independent View: MO Voters Backed Anti-Gerrymandering Measure But Lawmakers Want to Undo It

It’s a Scenario we’re seeing in Michigan and Wisconsin, and now the Republican Anti-Democracy Movement has hit Missouri.

Missouri Voters voted for Amendment 1 to End Political Gerrymandering and have some Transparency in Lobbyist Gifts and Corporate Donations to Politicians.

Currently, Missouri is One of Six States whose Legislative Redistricting is done by a Politician Commission.

Amendment 1 - Changes to Redistricting System

Currently, the Congressional and State Legislative District Boundaries are determined by Two Commissions. The Commission responsible for Drawing State Senate Districts is made up of Five Democrats and five Republicans, each of whom was Nominated by their Party. The Commission responsible for Drawing State House Districts is made up of Eight Democrats and Eight Republicans, Selected by the District Committees of their respective Party. In order for a Redistricting Map to be Approved, 70% of the Commission Members must Support it.

Under Amendment 1, Redistricting would be handled by a Non-Partisan State Demographer. The Demographer would be Chosen from a Pool of Applicants by the State Auditor, the State Senate Majority Leader, and the state Senate Minority Leader. To be Eligible to Apply for the Demographer Position, a Person cannot have Served in a Partisan Elected Position in the last Four years. They also would be Prohibited from Holding Office in the General Assembly for Four years after their Last Proposed Redistricting Map. The Demographer would Draw the District Maps following a Long List of Criteria spelled out in the Amendment, all of which is Designed to Create Districts based on “partisan fairness and competitiveness.”

The Existing Commissions would be allowed to Propose Changes to the Map, but the Changes would have to be Approved by 70% of the Commissioners and also Adhere to the Amendment 1’s Criteria for Fair Redistricting.

The Measure aims to take District Mapping out of the Hands of Politicians and put the Responsibility on a Independent Expert, intending to Remove the Partisanship from the Process. This is Designed to ensure Fairer Voting Districts and Reduce or Eliminate Gerrymandering. The last time Missouri Redistricted was 2011.

Missouri Republicans is trying to Dismantle the Amendment 1 before it can be Implemented.

Ignoring the will of Voters is becoming a trend in States where Republicans have Power. In their Lame Duck Sessions, Politicians in Wisconsin and Michigan worked to Restrict Access to the Ballot Box and make it harder for Voters to get Measures on the Ballot.

Republicans are Disregarding the Voice of Voters, and the Voters must hold them Accountable.

So if Politicians Refuse to Listen to the Will of Voters, the Voters will have to Defeat them at the Ballot Box once and for all.