UNDATED – The year 2021 is important for Hoosiers because it is when new census data will be used to redraw state and congressional legislative districts.
The Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission (ICRC) is hosting virtual meetings to collect public testimony from Hoosiers on how best to redraw electoral district maps.
The ICRC hopes to demonstrate that when redistricting is done by a diverse and multi-partisan team of Hoosiers in a transparent process that encourages public participation, it yields districts that are better for voters.
The first step is gathering public input from Hoosiers about criteria that should be used to draw electoral district maps.
For example, should districts emphasize compactness?
- What about competition – should maps be drawn to encourage political competition?
- How about incumbency status, should districts be drawn “incumbent blind?” What are the communities of interest in each Congressional district (e.g., racial, social, urban, rural)—should they be kept intact or should they be divided?
The public is invited to join this important conversation with regard to Congressional District 9 on Wednesday, March 10, from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.
The ICRC hopes to hear from a broad range of Hoosiers on these issues. Their testimony, as well as publicly defined criteria, will be shared with legislators before the redistricting process begins.
It is crucial that legislators know what is important to voters because redistricting will impact federal and state legislative districts for the next 10 years.
Residents are urged to mark their calendars and register to be a part of this conversation. Those who would like to attend the Congressional District 9 meeting on Wednesday, March 10 must register by going to this link. A registration screen will prompt entry of the registrant’s name and email address, and a Zoom link will be emailed to that address.
The Leagues of Women Voters of Bloomington-Monroe County, Brown County, and South Central Indiana, together with the Monroe County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Organization for Women (NOW), and Reverse Citizens United (RUC) are partnering in extending this invitation to all who reside in their shared Congressional District 9.
