Tag: redistricting

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Public Hearings on Districting: Speak Up for a Better Alabama!

Photo Credit: ALToday.com/Adam Powell

The U.S Census released its once-a-decade data of everyone living in the country on August 12. It has already initiated a process that will affect Alabama for many years to come! 

This process is known as the redistricting process, which should be an alert for all of us who love our state and the communities we call home. Gerrymandering has been an ongoing problem throughout the South’s history dating back decades. And today, elected officials continue to use gerrymandering to maintain power instead of creating a more reflective, prosperous state. 

In recent years, there is a groundswell to introduce new legislation that would curb this issue by creating independent commissions instead of state legislatures that decide how district maps can be drawn after each census count is released.

What’s next in the redistricting process? Public hearings!

Alabama lawmakers have scheduled 28 public hearings in early September on new district maps for Congress, the Legislature, and the state Board of Education based on population changes shown by the 2020 Census. The public hearings will be held at community colleges across the state, and Alabamians are welcome to attend these public meetings to share their viewpoints on the upcoming process.

Public hearings have become more commonplace over recent years as governing bodies seek public input before making decisions or taking action on legislation. Public opinion is valued highly these days because it has been proven time and again how powerful dialogue about specific topics can influence outcomes such as representation. This input is supposed to be used towards the redrawing of district lines, which has an impact on just about every aspect of your day-to-day life; for example:

This input will be used towards the redrawing of district lines, which has an impact on just about every aspect of your day-to-day life; for example: 

  •  Access to affordable healthcare options. 
  •  The school zones you fall into and the quality of education your children receive. 
  • Access to community resources such as quality infrastructure and the safety standards that are established during a global pandemic.
  • And most importantly, whether or not your community gets the fair representation you deserve. 

View the list of Alabama public hearings dates and locations here

If you’re not used to participating in local and state government, there’s no better time than now to learn about your local issues and make your voice heard. Redistricting will unquestionably impact your life, so get involved today and make a plan to attend a public hearing in September. We’ll see you there!

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Articles

How Does Community Districting Affect Your Access to Resources?

The community districting process affects us all, and the way district lines are drawn can significantly impact almost every aspect of your daily life. We’re going to take a look at how community districting affects you and your community. By participating in the line drawing process, you can advocate for fair representation for your community.

Access to Healthcare

Access to healthcare is of significant concern to citizens today. Many Americans are unaware that gerrymandering, the process of drawing lines in favor of one political party or elected official, can impact their access to policy-making, including state decisions about Medicaid. In past district drawing cycles, gerrymandering has been a decisive factor in blocking more residents from receiving Medicaid.

According to data from the U.S Census Bureau, 1 in 10 Alabamians doesn’t have health insurance. For some parts of the state, that number is even higher. While the topic of Medicaid expansion has been controversial, most people agree that healthcare should be a top priority for our legislators.

Quality Education and School Safety

Quality education in a safe environment is something that all young people deserve. 2020 was an especially trying year for students and teachers that presented safety concerns we have not encountered in decades. Gerrymandering diminishes a family’s ability to influence decisions about the safety and education of their children, and contributes to low-income students being restricted to underperforming, underfunded schools. By engaging in the line-drawing process, parents can advocate for better quality education and safer schools.

Access to Jobs

According to the Alabama Department of Labor, 91,065 Alabamians were unemployed as of March 2021. Job security has been a massive issue facing Americans over the last 12 months, with over 20.6 million jobs lost nationwide. Business and local economies suffer when the government can’t secure a stable economic environment, or pass legislation to grow the economy. When local economies suffer, so do their constituents.

Gerrymandering has a direct effect on our elected officials and economic policy-making. Small to medium-sized businesses especially suffer from the gerrymandering process of “cracking” or drawing district lines to split like-minded communities and voting groups. Splitting up local communities dilutes their voice. Rather than having a single representative making a strong case for their best interests, the community is divided between multiple legislators, often representing larger constituencies elsewhere and leaving them behind. When economies suffer due to lack of representation, local businesses can lose valuable resources and support, leaving them struggling to stay open and provide jobs.

Public Safety

Local representatives play a massive role in raising issues about crime. By participating in the line-drawing process, you can help to secure a safe environment and improved facilities for your neighborhood. Even simple additions such as street lamps can come about as part of this process, so take advantage of any opportunities you have to participate and share your concerns.

Budgeting for public programs and support services is also impacted by the district drawing process. When funding for public programs is cut, it can leave communities without the resources they need to overcome the problems they face.

Legislation

The community districting process determines congressional, state, and local legislative districts, city councils, and local school boards. By participating in this process, you are advocating for fair elections. When elected officials gerrymander districts, we lose our power to choose who is elected into office and what legislation is passed.

As you can see, community districting can significantly impact almost every aspect of your daily life. Alabama Election Protection Network is working with grassroots organizations and faith-based communities throughout the state of Alabama to educate, engage, and empower Alabamians in the line-drawing process. You can get involved and stand up for the issues that matter in your community here.