An editorial in an early January edition of the Virginian-Pilot makes reference to the 1992 bill re-introduced by House Democratic Chairman Brian Moran (discussed here). The editorial makes the same point that Delegate Terrie Suit made in our podcast: non-partisan redistricting is only ever discussed by the party not in the majority. Thus, whoever is in power at the time redistricting occurs draws the lines most beneficial to their party and thus protects their incumbents.
One of the major forces driving the look at redistricting across the country is the lack of competitiveness that seems to be everywhere. A generally accepted definition of competitiveness is an election in which the results are decided by 10% or less. According to the article:
Only 38 of 100 delegate races were contested by both major parties in 2005. Only 11 were decided by a margin of less than 10 percent, and only three incumbents were defeated.
Two years earlier, only 35 House seats were contested by both parties and only 19 of 40 Senate races. Only eight delegate races and only four Senate contests were decided by less than a 10 percent margin.
As for Congress, in 2004 only one congressional district – the 2nd in Norfolk and Virginia Beach – had a victory margin of less than 20 percent, and no incumbents were defeated. In 2002, the closest victory margin was 25 percent.
In 2006, in one of the hottest national elections in recent memory, seven of Virginia’s 11 congressmen either had no major-party opposition or won by 25-point margins or better. Only one district, again the 2nd District, had a real race.
While Moran’s bill went nowhere, we got close this year with Senator Creigh Deeds’ bill, SJR352. It passed the Senate but was perfunctorily dismissed by the House P&E committee last week.
Redistricting takes away from the voters a choice. And if a party believes that their platform is in step with the voters, they should welcome the competition, not restrict it.
This type of incumbent protection can of course been seen in the House of Representatives and the legislature of my home state of New York. The rate of incumbent reelection in New York is 99%. As voters we not only lack choice but have been effectively disenfranchised is these types of elections. This is true in Presidential elections as well, your vote only really counts if you live in a “Battleground” state.
Redistricting must be taken out of the hands of politicians and given to independent, bipartisan groups. Then we may see some return to competitive elections and the power of “one man, one vote.”
Posted by Greg Jerome | Wednesday, February 21, 2007, 11:14 am