SLAY THE DRAGON follows everyday people, outraged by what they see as an attack on the core democratic principle that every person’s vote should count equally. This election year, we’re joining together with grassroots partners to put an end to gerrymandering. Because this issue impacts each state differently, we’ve created a map to help you navigate how gerrymandering affects your state and community. SLAY THE DRAGON arrives on demand April 3.
Click on your state in the map above to find out what’s going on and how you can help.
We are partnering with organizations in Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin to support the creation of non-partisan redistricting commissions to protect votes across the country.
Click on your state in the map above to find out what’s going on and how you can help.
We are partnering with organizations in Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin to support the creation of non-partisan redistricting commissions to protect votes across the country.
SLAY THE DRAGON follows everyday people, outraged by what they see as an attack on the core democratic principle that every person’s vote should count equally. This election year, we’re joining together with grassroots partners to put an end to gerrymandering. Because this issue impacts each state differently, we’ve created a map to help you navigate how gerrymandering affects your state and community. SLAY THE DRAGON arrives on demand April 3.
Click on your state in the map above to find out what’s going on and how you can help.
We are partnering with organizations in Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin to support the creation of non-partisan redistricting commissions to protect votes across the country.
Click on your state in the map above to find out what’s going on and how you can help.
We are partnering with organizations in Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin to support the creation of non-partisan redistricting commissions to protect votes across the country.
What’s going on in Indiana
Process
State Legislature
Indiana's state legislative and congressional districts are drawn by the state Legislature by ordinary statute, and are subject to the Governor's veto. The Legislature can override vetoes with a simple majority in each chamber. If the state fails to adopt congressional districts, a five-member backup commission, selected by legislative leaders, is formed to draw them. There is no backup commission in the event of a failure to adopt state legislative district lines.
Criteria
In addition to the federal requirements of one person, one vote and the Voting Rights Act, Indiana’s state constitution (Art. IV § 5) requires that state legislative districts be contiguous. There are no state law requirements for drawing congressional districts.
Public Input
While Indiana law does not require public hearings, the House and Senate Election Committees held several public hearings in March 2011. It is likely that similar meetings will be held in 2021.
In addition, Common Cause Indiana is planning to form its own citizens redistricting commission for the 2021 cycle. It also intends to publish a public mapping website so that residents can contribute their own redistricting plans.
Issues
Pitfalls
Both chambers of the Legislature and the Governorship are currently controlled by Republicans. The Governorship is up for election in November 2020. A Republican win would lead to continued single-party control over redistricting, which increases the risk of partisan gerrymandering.
Census Delays
- State legislative redistricting plan deadline: end of term for Legislature elected in 2020; January 3, 2023 (Art. IV § 5)
- Congressional redistricting plan deadline: April 29, 2021 (Ind. Code Ann. § 3-3-2-2)
- If no map, backup commission has 30 days after legislative adjournment
The Census Bureau may delay sending population data to states until as late as July 31, 2021. Indiana has a late deadline for state legislative redistricting, but a special session will be necessary to complete redistricting before the 2022 elections. Moreover, the congressional deadline will likely be impossible to meet, and formal action is needed to adjust the deadlines.
Reform
In 2020, five separate redistricting bills were introduced in the Legislature. Every bill died in committee.
- Senate Bill 293 would have created a redistricting portal for citizens to draw maps and mandated joint hearings for more public input.
- House Bill 1024, Senate Bill 138, and Senate Bill 105 would all have created a Redistricting Commission to redraw state legislative and congressional districts.
- Senate Bill 87 would have created redistricting standards and ensured that the public had the tools to draw maps and a process to submit them for the Legislature’s consideration.
Actions
In 2020, support state legislative candidates who favor fair districting.
In 2021, participate in the Legislature’s public input process.
- Obtain Indiana redistricting data from OpenPrecincts.
- Start to plan out what defines your community – whether it’s a shared economic interest, school districts, or other social or other cultural, historical, or economic interests – and how that can be represented on a map. This will come in handy once the Legislature and Common Cause Indiana’s commission start collecting feedback.
- Use software tools such as Dave's Redistricting App and Districtr to draw district maps showing either (a) what a fair map would look like, or (b) where the community you believe should be better represented is located.
Read the Common Cause Activist Handbook on Redistricting Reform to learn about what reforms have been successful in the past, and what steps to take to enact reform in the future. While the deadline to change the constitutional process for this redistricting cycle has passed, it is never too early to plan and organize for reforms.
Contacts
Data provided by the Princeton Gerrymandering Project