Tag: redistricting reform

Bloomington council president on local redistricting reform: “The commission has to be in place by 2021. It’s not far off.”

Bloomington city council president Steve Volan at a recent meeting. (Dave Askins/Square Beacon)
Plot of current councilmember home addresses on district map of Bloomington.

With its six city council districts, Bloomington is not unique among Indiana cities. But by year’s end it could be the only Indiana city that has a local commission established to handle the redrawing of council district boundaries.

This year’s city council president, Steve Volan, told The Square Beacon this week that one of his goals for 2020 is to establish an independent redistricting commission. It’s an idea he’s been working on for a couple of years, he said.

Under state statute, the city’s redistricting will be done in 2022, the second year after the decennial census. Continue reading “Bloomington council president on local redistricting reform: “The commission has to be in place by 2021. It’s not far off.”” →

State legislator to Bloomington redistricting advocates: “Show us on a local level.”

Plot of current councilmember home addresses on district map of Bloomington.
Republican Jeff Ellington, who represents District 62 in the state house answers questions at a legislative update held Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020 at Bloomington’s city hall. (Dave Askins/Square Beacon)
Democrat Mark Stoops, who represents District 40 in the state senate, talks about gerrymandering on Jan. 25, 2020 at Bloomington’s city hall. (Dave Askins/Square Beacon)
James Allison asks area state legislators about redistricting reform on Jan. 25, 2020 at Bloomington’s city hall.

On Saturday morning, state legislators who represent parts of Monroe County appeared at Bloomington’s city hall to give constituents an update on this year’s session and to field questions from the 40 or so people who showed up.

The first question invited legislators to “foretell the future” of possible legislation on redistricting reform, given that previous proposals on the topic had “melted away into thin air.”

Historically, proposals for reform of the boundary change process for state legislative and congressional districts have included the establishment of some kind of independent redistricting commission.

In response the question on Saturday, Republican Jeff Ellington, who represents District 62 in the state house, challenged area officials to create local redistricting commissions. Such commissions could handle the upcoming task of redistricting the six districts of Bloomington’s city council and the four districts of Monroe County’s county council. Continue reading “State legislator to Bloomington redistricting advocates: “Show us on a local level.”” →