Elections should be decided in the voting booths, not the map rooms.
Gerrymandering: The Problem
In states where legislators draw their own district liness, parties and incumbents are able to draw district lines to their own advantage, so that general elections are decided before they are held. We don't want that for South Carolina.
Gerrymandering adds to hyperpartisanship
It is often the most extreme voters who turn our for primaries, and when districts heavily favor one party, there is unlikely to be real competition in the general election. As a result, winners hold views more extreme than most of their constituents, increasing polarization in the government.
After districts are drawn to benefit a legislator, there is little incentive for them to listen to voters or compromise with other legislators, because their next election is already "safe!"
Voters deserve a choice in the voting booth
Gerrymandering discourages competition within districts. 95% of 2018 legislative races in SC were either uncontested or were won by more than a 10% margin of victory!
Citizens Redistricting Commission: The Solution
In 2021 the lines will be redrawn for Congress and the SC Legislature. We believe a citizens commission, not the lawmakers themselves, should be in charge of drawing new maps. Criteria for the map-drawing process should exclude partisan and incumbent protection. The process of drawing district maps should be open and transparent, and include an avenue for meaningful public input.
We supported bills in the 2018-2020 legislative sessions that would have developed this commission, but the bills did not receive hearings. Therefore, this year we are focused on partnering with other local non-profits to educate voters across this county about the Problem and the Solution.
We believe specific redistricting criteria must be used by our legislators to ensure a non-partisan approach - Click here
