To the editor:
According to Citizens for Fair Elections, “On the state legislative level, Republicans received less than 58% of the votes in Indiana in the 2016 elections. Yet, they hold 82 percent of the state senate seats and 70 percent of the State House seats. Interestingly enough, Republicans also controlled the process that drew these district lines in 2010.” This means Indiana is gerrymandered.
Pennsylvania recently forced the redrawing of maps to end decades of gerrymandering and the U.S. Supreme Court agreed. Maps drawn by the party in power make no sense regardless of which party. We voters have the right to expect our votes will count in a fairly-run election process. Gerrymandering is for the benefit of one party. Democracy loses every time.
The Indiana Legislature repeatedly kills bills for an independent entity to draw maps. This year they offered a watered-down bill asking the party in power to “to consider and adopt modifications to the initial proposed plans that deviate from the redistricting standards.”
When the party in power is able to choose to either amend or disregard criteria, the scales are tipped in their favor. Until Indiana votes are fairly counted it isn’t a democracy and it isn’t good for any of us.
Linda Mills
Fort Wayne
