The terms “racial equity” and “communities of interest” are sometimes equated, as if respect for communities of interest is the sole and best guarantee of racial equity.
Fair Districts PA strongly supports the need for racial equity in any redistricting process. At the same time, we are aware of divided opinion regarding “community of interest” provisions within a legislative framework. The following is an attempt to clarify our position in this continuing conversation.
Communities of interest and racial equity are not synonymous.
- Respect for communities of interest doesn’t guarantee racial equity. It can be an avenue in that direction, but can also be used to pack minority voters in ways that diminish representation or can put minority communities in direct opposition to other legitimate communities of interest.
- Racial equity is not dependent on respect for communities of interest. Compliance with the Voting Rights Act is a more justiciable guarantee, as is a diverse independent coalition with opportunity for public input.
Our supported bills include the following as additional protection for minority communities:
- (5) Districts shall provide racial minorities an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and may not dilute or diminish their ability to elect candidates of choice whether alone or in coalition with others.
Opinion is divided regarding community of interest language:
- Some advocacy groups consider respect for communities of interest an essential feature of reform. Others list it among less essential provisions, while still others warn against inclusion in legislation of a term difficult to define and even more difficult to enforce.
- Among our state legislators, we’ve heard from many who oppose community of interest language and affirm protection of counties and municipalities as a more enforceable proxy.
States are the laboratories of democracy in an experiment still in process.
We believe that in Pennsylvania the best avenue to racial equity is a demographically diverse commission with provisions for compliance with the Voting Rights Act, required public input and transparency and protection of municipal and county boundaries, plus explicit protection of minority participation.
We are working to have this reform in place for legislative and congressional redistricting before 2021.
How We'll fix It