Gerrymandering steals power from voters. No matter who does it.

In some ways, it’s a complicated story, with the DOJ reversing itself, and the Texas GOP legislative majority redrawing a map that same majority drew just 4 years ago.

In other ways it’s a straightforward power grab, initiated by President Trump, to “pick up” additional Republican seats in Texas and other states.

In response, Democratic Governor Newsom of California has broadcast plans to overturn or bypass the California Independent Redistricting Commission — created by a CA constitutional amendment in 2008 — to gerrymander more Democratic districts in California. Other states are rumbling about possible mid-decade redistricting to flip more congressional seats red or blue.

Are these efforts legal? Who will decide? The US Supreme Court has so far refused to offer an opinion on partisan redistricting, finding such claims “beyond the reach of the federal courts.”

Will the Texas efforts provide the “extra” seats President Trump has asked for? That remains to be seen.

Compare current & proposed maps

A new term has surfaced as the story unfolds: dummymander: an over-reaching gerrymander that backfires and causes loss, rather than gain, of seats for the gerrymandering party.

As mapping experts argue about whether current efforts will backfire, and whether precise mapping technology can prevent a possible dummymander, lawyers are reviewing potential appeals and the legal complexities of mid-decade redistricting in Democratic states.

Meanwhile, voters themselves are forgotten. Gerrymandering, no matter who does it, deprives all voters of choice, representation, and the ability to hold legislators accountable,

Members of the Fair Maps Texas coalition are speaking out, training citizens to give testimony, and holding rallies. To quote the letter the coalition sent to Governor Abbott and the Texas General Assembly:

When maps are manipulated, it distorts the very foundation of democracy. It silences the voices of those already struggling to be heard. It’s about clinging to power at any cost…

When the voices of special interests and extreme partisans dominate the political landscape, the needs of ordinary citizens are often overlooked. It’s time for us to demand a better future, one where the voices of all citizens are heard and valued.

For more background and answers to questions: A New Cycle of Texas Gerrymandering: Your Questions Answered