Cuomo Unveils Non-Partisan Redistricting Legislation

[brooklynite]

Source: New York Observer

Andrew Cuomo unveiled this morning his plan to reform the way New York draws district lines for Congress, State Senate and Assembly seats.

Under the Cuomo proposal, the governor's office and the legislature would put forth nominations for a pool of candidates to serve on an independent redistricting commission, and then legislative leaders would choose members from the pool to serve on the commission. According to Cuomo's office, the commission will be selected with an eye toward geographic, racial, ethnic and gender diversity, and all members who serve must be four years removed from being a member of the legislature or Congress, a legislative or executive chamber employee, a political party official or a registered lobbyist.

Skeptics of nonpartisan redistricting have fixated on what it means to be truly nonpartisan, and have expressed concern that legislative leaders will still figure out a way to game the system. Under the current system, however, lawmakers have virtually sole discretion to draw district lines as they see fit.

The commission will hold a series of public hearings on the drawing of lines, and must post on its website information concerning the plans under development. According to Cuomo's bill, that plan would then go before the legislature, who can accept or reject the plan without adding amendments. If they suggest changes, the commission can come back with a second plan that cannot be amended. If the commission's plan is rejected, they can come back to the legislature a third time and lawmakers can add amendments.

Read more: http://www.observer.com/2011/politics/cuomo-unveils-non-partisan-redistricting-legislation

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It's a good start, but I'm not thrilled at the Legislature approving the final list of Commission members, and I'm not comfortable with the notion that, after two submitted plans are rejected, the Legislature can offer "amendments" -- what's the incentive for them not to simply reject the first two out of hand so they have more influence on the third?

[Joanne98]

1. Thanks a lot fucker!

[groundloop]

2. I'm skeptical - if politicians can influence re-districting in any way they won't hesitate

District gerymandering is always going to favor the party in power at the time if politicians have anything at all to do with it.

[24601]

3. We wanted this shit in blue states? Not! n/t

[Liberal Not Leftist]

4. A politician doing something non-partisan...?

:rofl:

[Democat]

5. They want to do this in California and New York to give Republicans a national advantage!

What about doing this in Texas, Florida and Ohio too.

Doing this in only Democratic states will mean that Democrats are grossly underrepresented in Congress!