@ISIDEWITHQuestionsDomestic PolicyStarted 11yrs agoActive 2wks ago

Should the redrawing of Congressional districts be controlled by an independent, non-partisan commission?

Currently, the redistricting of congressional boundaries is controlled by state legislature every ten years. Gerrymandering is the redrawing of districts with the intent of benefiting a political party. It is most often implemented by state political parties with the intent of marginalizing districts of voters who represent the minority party. To gain extra seats, the incumbent party will redraw voting districts so that voters of the minority party will be grouped into smaller districts with less seats. Critics of gerrymandering say these practices allow incumbent representatives to choose their voters instead of voters choosing them. Proponents say that drawing districts is a privilege of the ruling party and have little effect on the popularity of their policies or candidates.

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Answer Overview

Response rates from 214k Illinois voters.

87%
Yes
13%
No
75%
Yes
11%
No
8%
Yes, gerrymandering gives an unfair advantage to the party in power during redistricting
1%
No, there is no better alternative
4%
Yes, switch to a multi-member, proportionally selected redistricting system
1%
No, gerrymandering allows officials to more effectively represent the interests of their constituency

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 214k Illinois voters.

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Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from Illinois voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @9BVLJ45 from Georgia  answered…2yrs2Y

Yes, but I would prefer to abolish gerrymandering.

 @5F5TD6Gfrom District of Columbia  answered…4yrs4Y

Yes, gerrymandering has become racist

 @9F4WBK4 from Louisiana  answered…1yr1Y

No, I'd prefer the Shortest Split-line method

 @9FQJK9P from Nevada  answered…1yr1Y

I support gerrymandering when it's my party in power and oppose it when its the other party in power... And so does everyone else.

 @9C43LHB from Louisiana  answered…2yrs2Y

I'd prefer the Shortest Split-line method.

 @9XR589F from Utah  answered…1mo1MO

No, use transparent mathematical algorithms with clear constitutional rules to draw districts instead

 @9WYQWYX from Kansas  answered…2mos2MO

Software should be used to make even districts without regard to any factor other than the number of people.

 @9DM7684 from Vermont  answered…1yr1Y

No, these commissions just end up being partisan

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…4wks4W

Gerrymander No More: Democrats Push for a Congress That Represents All

The bipartisan task force would investigate structural reforms like multimember districts and adding more House members in an effort to address growing polarization and distrust of Congress.Over the last two elections, Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has shown that she knows how to win in a largely rural, Republican-leaning district. Now, she’s proposing a bipartisan House task force to consider reforms to the current winner-take-all electoral system.The resolution, which NOTUS obtained exclusively, is cosponsored by fellow Blue Dog co-chair, Rep. Jared Golden, and is set to be announced by Gluesenkamp Perez on Tuesday afternoon.The initiative comes as Democrats have begun to look at Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez with wonder after both lawmakers defeated their GOP opponents in R+6 and R+5 districts, respectively, while Vice President Kamala Harris underperformed with just about every demographic.“We need that competition,” she said. “We need that urgency.”She added that one of her goals is to “open the field” and get more candidates with working-class backgrounds running for Congress, “to have people who have turning wrenches, change diapers, drive trucks at the table.”She said that, if members know they have “lifetime tenure,” they don’t have the urgency to do constituent casework and understand where the system is failing communities.Many of the electoral reforms mentioned as potential topics for the task force to investigate aren’t new. Democratic lawmakers have floated similar proposals for years, drawing little to no attention.Some of the proposals in this resolution for the task force to investigate include holding nonpartisan open primaries, establishing independent commissions for redistricting to prevent gerrymandering, to have congressional districts with multiple members and to increase the number of seats in the House beyond 435 representatives.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…1mo1MO

Billion-Dollar Bust: Kamala’s Campaign Drowns in Debt After Star-Studded Spending Spree

Kamala Harris's campaign ended with at least $20 million in debt, per two sources familiar. Harris raised over $1 billion and had $118 million in the bank as of Oct. 16.Rob Flaherty, this staffer said, is currently shopping around the Kamala fundraising email list to anyone who wants it to try to raise the money back. This includes other campaigns and outside groups.Flaherty is the deputy campaign manager and reports to Jen O’Malley Dillon.“Jen blew through a billion dollars in a few months and it was all Jen’s idea to do all the concerts.” — Kamala campaign adviser told meThis source added that O’Malley Dillon did these “concerts,” like Katy Perry, Lizzo, Eminem, Bruce Springsteen et cetera at the expense of “prioritizing and spending money on social media and other campaign priorities.”Apparently a group in Georgia had to lay off 100 people because they couldn’t pay them. It’s unclear at this time if the campaign PAID the talent to perform but the cost of production for the events was “immense.”What’s more, this Kamala campaign staffer said several people who were working for the Kamala Harris for President campaign are still awaiting several overdue payments they were promised for their work. IE, they didn’t pay the staff.“People didn’t like working with her. Many people on the campaign felt like we lost because Kamala wasn’t allowed to run her campaign. They were running Joe Biden’s campaign instead of a Kamala campaign. Obnoxious and very much a gate keeper and interfering with the vice president’s people who were trying to do their job.”

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…3wks3W

Donald Trump nominates Pam Bondi as the next Attorney General

Former President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has announced his intention to nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as the next Attorney General of the United States, should he reclaim the presidency in the upcoming election.Bondi, a prominent figure in Republican politics, served as Florida's Attorney General from 2011 to 2019. She gained national attention for her legal battles on issues such as health care reform, consumer protection, and opioid abuse litigation. Known for her steadfast support of Trump during his presidency, Bondi also served as a key adviser during his first impeachment trial, where she defended his administration against accusations of abuse of power.In a statement released by his campaign, Trump praised Bondi’s “unwavering commitment to justice” and her “track record of standing up for everyday Americans against the abuses of Washington’s elites.”“Pam Bondi has been a fearless advocate for the people, and she embodies the principles of fairness, accountability, and the rule of law that are sorely needed to restore trust in our justice system,” Trump said. “She is the right person to lead the Department of Justice into a new era of integrity and excellence.”While Bondi’s nomination has been met with applause from conservative circles, it has also reignited criticism from Democrats and ethics watchdogs. Her acceptance of a $25,000 donation from the Trump Foundation in 2013, which coincided with her decision not to pursue an investigation into Trump University, has drawn scrutiny in the past and resurfaced following the announcement.Democratic leaders have already voiced opposition, questioning Bondi’s ability to lead the Department of Justice independently. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) called the nomination “a political power play” and urged a focus on “restoring integrity, not entrenching partisanship.”

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…3wks3W

Kamala Harris is considering running for president again in 2028

Kamala Harris has been lying low since her defeat in the presidential race, unwinding with family and senior aides in Hawaii before heading back to the nation’s capital.But privately, the vice president has been instructing advisers and allies to keep her options open — whether for a possible 2028 presidential run, or even to run for governor in her home state of California in two years. As Harris has repeated in phone calls, “I am staying in the fight.”She is expected to explore those and other possible paths forward with family members over the winter holiday season, according to five people in the Harris inner circle, who were granted anonymity to discuss internal dynamics. Her deliberations follow an extraordinary four months in which Harris went from President Joe Biden’s running mate to the top of the ticket, reenergizing Democrats before ultimately crashing on election night.“She doesn’t have to decide if she wants to run for something again in the next six months,” said one former Harris campaign aide. “The natural thing to do would be to set up some type of entity that would give her the opportunity to travel and give speeches and preserve her political relationships.”“She doesn’t have to decide if she wants to run for something again in the next six months,” said one former Harris campaign aide. “The natural thing to do would be to set up some type of entity that would give her the opportunity to travel and give speeches and preserve her political relationships.”Harris concedes: 'We must accept the results of this election'SharePlay VideoMost immediately, Harris and her advisers are working to define how and when she will speak out against Donald Trump and reassert her own role in the Democratic Party. Closing out her term as vice president, she’s set to preside over certifying the November election she lost to Trump, and then appear at the once-and-future president’s inauguration on Jan. 20.“There will be a desire to hear her voice, and there won’t be a vacuum for long,” a person close to Harris said.At the same time, Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, will have a long checklist to plow through before they leave the Naval Observatory for good.They have to decide whether they’ll take up permanent residence at their home in Los Angeles, or establish a base elsewhere. No matter where Harris and her family live, some around her have expressed concerns about safety, as her Secret Service protection expires six months after stepping away.

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