Jamestown’s state senator is advocating for changes to the way that Rhode Island redraws its legislative districts.
Sen. Dawn Euer, a Democrat from Newport, wants to shift control of the decennial redistricting from the General Assembly to an independent commission created solely for that purpose. The change is intended to prevent redistricting from being used for the consolidation of power, and to ensure district maps are designed to rid the process of the public perception that it is politically controlled.
“Redistricting has long been an opportunity to help one group or another to solidify political power or prevent other groups from gaining it,” Euer said. “It can be a chance for gerrymandering to help one or more incumbents. Our bill is an effort to make redistricting a more fair and transparent process by separating it from sitting officeholders, preventing dominance of one party or group over another, and preventing disenfranchisement of political or minority groups.”
The bill would put a question before voters in November asking them to amend the state constitution to allow redistricting to be performed by an independent commission. That body, under the amendment, would be appointed through an application process administered by the secretary of state and would include five registered voters who are members of the state’s largest political party,five from its second largest party, and five who are not registered with either party. No members could be elected or appointed federal, state, municipal or party officials or employees, political consultants or lobbyists, or their family members.
To the greatest extent, the commission would be required to draw districts that have equal population, are contiguous, do not disenfranchise minorities, reflect partisan fairness, consider community boundaries and keep communities of interest intact. It specifically would ban the commission from considering the location of a candidate’s residence.