To: The New Jersey State House and The New Jersey State Senate
Stop Legislative effort to cement gerrymandering into NJ constitution!
NJ Senate and Assembly leadership have taken action to fast track a proposal that would change our state constitution in ways that experts agree lead to gerrymandered districts and unfair maps.
SCR43 and ACR60, would change the New Jersey Constitutional in order to mandate legislators be placed in charge of drawing the maps they will run in. In effect, tasked with choosing their own voters.
SCR43 and ACR60, would change the New Jersey Constitutional in order to mandate legislators be placed in charge of drawing the maps they will run in. In effect, tasked with choosing their own voters.
Why is this important?
Across the nation, states are taking action to create increasingly independent commissions that remove partisan considerations and politics from their redistricting processes. They are doing so because they understand that independent commissions lead to more competitive districts, which are ultimately healthy for the functioning of our democracy. In an inexplicable move, New Jersey is poised to reverse course, and instead, increase the exact measures that experts agree lead to greater gerrymandering.
SCR45/ ACR60 would change the NJ Constitution so that:
8 of the 13 members would be directly appointed by Senate and Assembly legislative leadership, and no less than 4 MUST be legislators themselves. This could result in upwards of 12 out of 13 committee members tasked with drawing legislative districts being either beholden to or actual legislators themselves!
Ties the hands of the independent, non-partisan, court appointed tie-breaker, relegating their role to no more than a checklist prefect.
Establishes and mandates the precedence of a mathematical model, that while seemingly fair on paper, is not rigorous enough to prevent unjust manipulation of the formula by parties with vested interest.
We stand united in the belief that SCR43/ ACR60 are un-American and destructive to our democracy. We demand legislators reject this proposal, and protect the integrity of our elections.
SCR45/ ACR60 would change the NJ Constitution so that:
8 of the 13 members would be directly appointed by Senate and Assembly legislative leadership, and no less than 4 MUST be legislators themselves. This could result in upwards of 12 out of 13 committee members tasked with drawing legislative districts being either beholden to or actual legislators themselves!
Ties the hands of the independent, non-partisan, court appointed tie-breaker, relegating their role to no more than a checklist prefect.
Establishes and mandates the precedence of a mathematical model, that while seemingly fair on paper, is not rigorous enough to prevent unjust manipulation of the formula by parties with vested interest.
We stand united in the belief that SCR43/ ACR60 are un-American and destructive to our democracy. We demand legislators reject this proposal, and protect the integrity of our elections.