This all began for me during one of those sidewalk conversations you have with friends you pass on the street. I was on Mountain Street in downtown Fayetteville, about a month and a half ago. A friend mentioned that some downstate Democrats had a redistricting plan that would move Fayetteville to the 4th District. I did what many others seem to have done: I had a good laugh and went about my business.
Well, the only Democratic plan (House Bill 1836), to be presented in committee turns out to be one that snakes up through the backwoods of Franklin and Crawford counties to encircle Fayetteville. I oppose this bill, and have been given the chance to expand my argument here.
I am not arguing that Fayetteville should never under any circumstances be moved to another congressional district.
There are foreseeable scenarios in the future that would make this reasonable and perhaps even necessary. My argument is that this is not one of those scenarios.
Every 10 years, our federal constitution requires state legislatures to redraw district boundaries to accommodate population changes with the goal of each congressional district encompassing a roughly equivalent number of citizens within its boundaries. Ourcourts have held that our legislators should seek to draw lines in such a way as to produce compact and contiguous districts with citizens who share common economic, cultural or other social ties.
I will not argue that Fayetteville per se lacks such commonalties with the 4th District. After traveling throughout the current 3rd District for more than a year as part of my 2010 run for Congress, I can say with confidence that Fayetteville in fact lacks such commonalties with most of Arkansas (with the possible exception of the more progressive precincts of Little Rock).
My argument against HB 1836, or the “Fayetteville Finger,” is that it is far more disruptive and expansive than is necessary to achieve the required population balancing. At the outset of this process, legislators from both sides of the aisle extolled the virtues of new software that would allow members to produce dozens of variations of district maps “with just the click of a mouse.” Why then, can they not produce a map that balances the four districts without sucha drastic plunge into any one district? My bet is that they can. They have simply chosen not to.
I have not hesitated to describe the essence of the map produced by this bill to be a textbook example of a gerrymander, (an imaginary beast made famous by a bit of creative redistricting in 19th century Massachusetts). Many of my fellow Arkansas Democrats argue that this can’t be a gerrymander, since it doesn’t benefit one party over the other. The argument goes that the 3rd stays Republican, and the 4th stays Democratic.
Fair enough. Even if we are to accept this argument as true, why then is it necessary to send that blue tendril into northern Washington County?
To say that this map is contrived and contorted is an understatement. Take just a moment and look closely at the section of the line as it approaches northern Franklin County.
Oops: Franklin and Washington counties aren’t contiguous! Well, all we have to do is grab a tiny sliver of Crawford County and voila, we have the conduit needed to reach Fayetteville.
I ultimately oppose theso-called “Fayetteville to the 4th” plan, because it is bad government. The gerrymander has rightly been one of the most despised of all political practices in our nation’s history, and it’s political stunts like this that contribute to our citizens’ disaffection and distrust of government generally, and the legislative process in particular. To the backers of this bill, I ask simply that you explain why these demographic gymnastics are necessary to the redistricting process.
Maybe you have a perfectly good reason to draw the map as you have. Let us hear it. While you’re at it, perhaps you can also explain why no other Democrat has offered a reasonable, less drastic option.
I am aware that my opinion on this matter does not square with the party line. I am also reasonably assured that the eventual adoption of “The Finger” map will not undo our democracy, although I will maintain a healthy skepticism that Fayetteville will suddenly become an electoral powerhouse in the 4th District. During the long talks I have had with others about this, a dear friend admonished me not to underestimate Fayetteville. I never have, and never will.
DAVID WHITAKER IS A FAYETTEVILLE ATTORNEY AND 2010 DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE IN THE 3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
Opinion, Pages 15 on 03/27/2011