Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/8698
8A – Daily News – Monday, April 5, 2010 Win the race, draw the lines WASHINGTON (MCT) — Say the word "redistrict- ing" or "reapportionment" and even some political junkies' eyes glaze over. But for most lawmakers, it's a subject that can get their "blood boiling, their hearts racing and their dander up," Texas Sen. Jeff Wentworth says, because the redrawing of district lines could cost lawmakers their jobs and their parties power for the next 10 years. The last time Texas went through the redistricting process in 2003, the Texas Legislature became such a laughingstock that Jay Leno made jokes about it on TV. At the time, 51 Democratic state lawmakers fled to neighboring Oklahoma to deprive the Legislature of a quorum, a move that suc- ceeded in killing a GOP- backed redistricting bill. Later that same year, Texas approved a controversial mid-decade plan engi- neered by former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and Texas Republicans that ultimately gave the GOP six more seats in Congress. Wentworth, a Republi- can from San Antonio, last year once again introduced legislation that would take congressional redistricting out of the hands of the Leg- islature and hand it over to an independent panel made up of citizens, not politi- cians. And once again the measure failed. As census forms begin arriving in Americans' mail- boxes and with elections looming, the political par- ties are spending a total of at least $88 million in hopes of winning control of key statehouses and governor- ships. Those wins would give them the upper hand when new lines are drawn for congressional and state- house boundaries in 2011, based on the new popula- tion counts, and theoretical- ly make it easier for their members to grab those seats. The U.S. Constitution requires all local, state and federal legislative districts to be redrawn after a census is taken to make the districts roughly equal in population, guaranteeing that each per- son is equally represented in legislative bodies, explains Tim Storey, an elections expert at the National Con- ference of State Legisla- tures. States with shrinking populations will lose seats and states with population surges will gain seats. The Constitution leaves it up to the state to deter- mine the method it wants to use for redistricting. In all Everyone’s Talking about it... TEHAMA BEAT but about a dozen states, state legislators and gover- nors play key roles in the process, while commissions are in charge in the other states. Democrats currently con- trol 60 state legislative cham- bers, most of which will draw maps for 383 congres- sional and 5,074 state leg- islative seats, the party says. But 21 of those chambers in 17 states are within five seats of changing hands political- ly. These 17 states will shape 198 congressional districts during redistricting. Democrats are using the earlier GOP actions in Texas as a rallying cry to get the party faithful to vote and give money. "If we don't shut down the GOP at the ballot box and stop them from redistricting themselves back into power, all our reforms will be dead in the water," outgoing New Mexi- can Gov. Bill Richardson said in a recent fundraiser letter for the Democratic Governors Association, call- ing the 2003 Texas redistrict- ing plan "underhanded" and "deceitful." This time, Texas could be awarded three extra seats in Congress, more than any state, because of its popula- tion boom. Democrats there hope to swing at least three seats in the state House in November and are also aim- ing at defeating incumbent Gov. Rick Perry, thus depriv- ing Republicans their lock on political control and its advantage in redrawing the political lines. Other states that are Le t e v e r y o n e k n o w ab o u t y o u r e v e n t OR Kn o w wh a t ’ s h a p p e n i n g Check out Tehama Beat @ www.redbluf fdailynews.com expected to pick up a seat in Congress because of the census and play a primary role in redrawing districts include Florida, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina and Utah. Arizona and Wash- ington are slated to pick up at least one new congres- sional seat, but these states use commissions to draw new lines. States with redistricting commissions States that use nonpartisan or biparti- san redistricting com- missions to draw state legislative plans: _Alaska _Arkansas _Arizona _California _Colorado _Hawaii _Idaho _Missouri _Montana _Ohio _New Jersey _Pennsylvania _Washington States that have "back-up commis- sions" for state legisla- tive plans that would take up the task if the legislature fails to enact a plan by a cer- tain deadline: _Connecticut _Illinois _Mississippi _Oklahoma _Texas States that use commissions for con- gressional redistrict- ing: _Arizona _Hawaii _Idaho _Montana _New Jersey _Washington Source: National Conference of State Legislatures "The results of the 2010 state legislative elections will define how key reforms and policies are decided for the next decade," Michael Sargeant, executive director of the Democratic Legisla- tive Campaign Committee, wrote in a March 15 memo to activists that lays out the party's battle lines. The group is committing $20 million "to races that will have the greatest impact on reapportionment," referring to the process of determin- ing how many congression- al seats each state receives. The Republican State Leadership Committee, which is dedicated to elect- ing more Republicans at the state level, recently launched its $20 million REDMAP, which stands for REDistrict- ing Majority Project, with the aim of winning state leg- islative seats. These seat would have a critical impact on congressional redistrict- ing in 2011. "To control the process — or at least have a seat at the table — winning, defending and increasing state legislative majorities must be a priority," its Web site says. Democrats say they "have a real shot" of wrestling control from the GOP in the Michigan and Oklahoma senate chambers and the House chambers in Missouri, Tennessee and Texas, but the party admits it faces tight contests in these 10 chambers where Democ- rats currently hold majori- ties. Both parties likewise are aggressively targeting the 37 governors' races this year. The Republican Gov- ernors' Association says "it jumpstarted the Republi- can comeback last year by winning governors' races in New Jersey and Vir- ginia." The group started the year with $25 million in cash, with the goal of raising $30 million for the year. The Democratic Gover- nors Association said it raised $23 million in 2009, the most in the organization's history, and will start the 2010 election cycle with nearly 12 times as much cash on hand as 2006, the last equivalent election cycle. COMMUNITY EVENTS ART SHOWS WINE TASTING SALES SPORTS EVENTS SPORTS FREE CONCERTS FREE FESTIVALS