Al Cross - Open up redistrict process to the people

Al Cross, Director of the Institute for Rural Journalism, wrote an interesting and broad piece on redistricting in Kentucky that appeared in today's Courier Journal.  It's worth a read. 

FRANKFORT, Ky. - The redistricting fiasco in Frankfort has shown the Kentucky General Assembly at its worst. Here are chapter, verse and remedy:  It lets problems fester and explode.  The legislature has known for more than a decade that the largely court-written rules for drawing its districts conflict fundamentally, in a way that requires too much splitting of medium-sized counties among districts, but it has taken no action to solve the problem. 

It plays the game by its own rules. 

This year, House Democrats ignored the state constitution and case law and split too many counties. Senate Republicans went so far in punishing their least favorite Democrat that her district would be virtually unrepresented for two years. A judge threw out the bill and said it would be better to use the old districts despite their unbalanced populations. 

Partisanship reigns. 

After the ruling, most legislators seemed to prefer running in their old districts, but leaders of the majorities in each chamber appealed, knowing the old lines would make it easier for them to maintain or increase their numerical advantages in this year’s elections. 

Self-interest trumps public interest.

Read the rest of the opinion piece on the Courier Journal's website Here.