Redistricting

“In a lengthy, sweeping decision, a federal court in Washington on Tuesday unanimously struck down Texas' new congressional map, ruling that the plan was enacted with "discriminatory purpose" against Hispanics protected under the Voting Rights Act. The ruling will not affect this year's elections, but barring successful appeal, Texas would have to redraw its maps before 2014.”

Ann Henkener, LWV of Ohio board member: ”Voters and taxpayers deserve balance, transparency and accountability any time their tax dollars are being spent. In return for hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars spent to rig legislative and congressional districts, you received none of the above.”

 “With 750,000 signatures ... the coalition of good-government groups like the League of Women Voters seeking a constitutional amendment to change Ohio’s seriously messed-up system for drawing legislative and congressional districts — is confident that the amendment will be on the ballot this November.”
 

“In response to Susan Lerner's op-ed, ‘Voters are the losers in Nassau fight’ [Opinion, July 3], the League of Women Voters of Nassau County [NY] believes in many of the same principles.”

“Maryland voters appear likely to get the final word on the state’s highly partisan and racially charged plan to redraw Maryland’s congressional districts. ... In passing the plan, Democratic state lawmakers also rebuffed harsh criticism from the League of Women Voters of Maryland, Common Cause and a handful of residents who testified against it. Most said they were appalled at the partisanship...”

“The League of Women Voters called it ‘by far the most extreme example of racial gerrymandering among all the redistricting proposals passed by lawmakers so far this year.’”

 "A plan to change how Ohio draws its legislative and congressional boundaries has collected enough signatures to go before voters and might be the only citizen-driven issue on the November ballot."
 

“...the effort to overhaul how Ohio draws its legislative and congressional districts is on track to submit more than 386,000 voter signatures by the July 4 deadline, said Ann Henkener of the League of Women Voters of Ohio.”

“'Voters First' advocate Ann Henkener, Redistricting Specialist for the League of Women Voters of Ohio, ... explained the 'Voters First' initiative that proposes 'to take the power over drawing our congressional and legislative districts out of the hands of the politicians and put it in the hands of the people.'”

“After the census is taken, the Ohio Constitution calls for fair, compact legislative districts to be drawn if redistricting is necessary. What has happened to Lorain County in the latest redrawing of district lines is neither fair nor compact.”