A Better Way to Draw Districts

 https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/better-way-draw-districts Dec 12, 2019

“The census every 10 years, states redraw legislative and congressional district boundaries. This is often a fraught process, with massive potential for abuse. Most states currently draw districts through their ordinary legislative process, though there are a number of variations. Typically, each chamber of the state legislature passes maps by a simple majority vote, and the governor can veto the result. Problems arise when state government is controlled by a single party. Even if the advantage is slim, the redistricting process can then be subverted for partisan gain or to discriminate against racial and ethnic minorities, with maps drawn behind closed doors and with little or no public input. Independent redistricting commissions are an effective solution against such abuses. But some work better than others. The success of a commission depends largely on its structure and its internal system of checks and balances. Carefully designing a commission to promote core values like independence, inclusivity, good-faith negotiation, and transparency is critical to fair redistricting that protects community interests and guards against partisan and racial gerrymandering…”

Redistricting in Nebraska after the 2010 census

https://ballotpedia.org/Redistricting_in_Nebraska_after_the_2010_census

“This page is about redistricting in Nebraska. In 2011, Nebraska had three Congressional seats and 49 seats in its unicameral legislature to consider. Internal population shifts and the possibility of expanding the legislature were key questions. Three counties singlehandedly account for 54% of the Nebraska population and the overall trend in the past decade was for population concentration to shift eastward, something that understandably concerned residents of the vast western expanses. The legislature passed Congressional and legislative maps for the final time on May 26, 2011.”

In the series "The Gerrymandering Project" The Atlas of Redistricting: Nebraska

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/redistricting-maps/nebraska/#Compact Published Jan 25, 2018

 “There’s a lot of complaining about gerrymandering, but what should districts look like? We went back to the drawing board and drew a set of alternative congressional maps for the entire country. Each map has a different goal: One is designed to encourage competitive elections, for example, and another to maximize the number of majority-minority districts. See how changes to district boundaries could radically alter the partisan and racial makeup of the U.S. House — without a single voter moving or switching parties…”

 

The Iowa model for Redistricting

www.ncsl.org/research/redistricting/the-iowa-model-for-redistricting.aspx  April 6, 2018

Iowa is among the states where the legislature has responsibility, but its method is unique: nonpartisan staff draw the lines with a nonpartisan approach. This webpage is a synopsis of how the “Iowa System” works.

The League of Women Voters - US position on redistricting

https://www.lwv.org/sites/default/files/2018-06/LWV%20Redistricting%20Position.pdf Impact on Issues 2016-2018 Edition

“The League of Women Voters believes responsibility for redistricting preferably should be vested in an independent special commission, with membership that reflects the diversity of the unit of government, including citizens at large, representatives of public interest groups, and members of minority groups…”