2010 Back room dealing accelerates 1910 politics
Ohio population increased the last decade yet, Ohio loses TWO Congressional Districts - Texas Gains 4 Congressional Districts ??? Why does Texas growth trump Ohio's?
How much longer will this errant 100 year old Congressional District mapping go on?
More Districts. More Representation. End political stranglehold on the citizens.

Redrawing the lines in Maryland
Baltimore Sun Editorial - September 5, 2010 

2010 election stakes: Drawing a line

In this timely editorial the author points out how computers have assisted the gerrymandering process - and disadvantaged voters. 

Why is Congress so doggone political?
Item from the Houston Chronicle by Bill King has some of the answers to that question.
King: Gerrymandering to blame for polarizing Congress

My viewpoint is pretty much the same as it has been all along, gerrymandering would be OK if more political ideologies were represented and USA had more Congressional Districts to accommodate the vast assortment of ideologies. Bill King makes some really good points about the results we are all living with these days and he did something I never thought about doing before, he looked up some Primary voting history from gerrymandered districts.

He touches on the problem of being an independent voter and not being allowed to vote in your state primary. And therein lies another problem he did not write about: independent voters are actually part of the problem because we never hear from these voters when it really matters - at the Primary level.

Truth in ballot language required in Florida

The Gainesville Sun - Editorial tells how the court settled the matter.
Fooling the voters

David Pepper for Auditor of the State of Ohio
Today, I received an email from David Pepper's campaign staff that offers an opportunity to read his plan for improving things here in Ohio. They call this plan,
"The Pepper Plan" which is memorable. And just like the spice we use at the dinner table, this plan covers the target zones with very little spillover.

I was glad to see that point # 10 of his ten point plan offers something to correct our gerrymandering problem. If elected our state Auditor, Pepper will hold one of the 5 seats on the apportionment board. I thought his plan to correct some of the gerrymandering problems shows that he understands the problem and the consequences of doing nothing. Read entire 10 point plan here

Beneficiaries of Gerrymandering fight back


Beware FAIR's and Feuer's Foists by Paul Hatfield
While Berman is attempting to return redistricting to partisan politicians through Proposition 27, the other arm of the pincer is Proposition 25. ......
.......Our current districts are handcuffs .......

 Political Junkie - by Ken Rudin
With Redistricting Approaching, New Focus on Gubernatorial Races
"...... On Thursday's "Morning Edition" on NPR, Peter Overby and I  (Ken Rudin) will be there to walk you through what's at stake.  I (Rudin) will be on to talk about the individual gubernatorial races and discuss their importance, and Peter will follow with a piece on the roles played by the Democratic and Republican governors associations (the DGA and RGA) and how they are becoming major players in national politics.
The segment begins at 6:10 a.m. Eastern and will be repeated every two hours, until you get sick of listening to it. ...... Read More


Office of University Communications University of Nebraska-Lincoln 
Released 8/23/10 By Steve Smith
Protect 'communities of interest' when drawing new House districts

Florida Justices react skeptically to redistricting amendment
Florida's high court heard arguments on three separate constitutional amendments drafted by the Legislature and removed from the Nov. 2 ballot because judges found them misleading.....Leon County Circuit Judge James Shelfer concluded last month that Amendment 7 was misleading, noting it took him three days to figure out that the amendment would supersede every other standard for redistricting. Specifically, it would allow lawmakers to lump together in districts communities of racial and language-minorities, as well as "communities of common interest."

Orlando Sentinel by Aaron Deslatte August 18, 2010

Ohio Candidates talk redistricting | Columbus Dispatch Politics by Jim Siegel August 14, 2010

"Regardless of who wins, those who really want to change the way legislative districts are drawn face two major challenges: They must deflect pressure from party leaders who want districts drawn in their favor; and they must agree with one another on guidelines for drawing districts......"

Redistrict plan dies from lack of accord

Ohio State University professor said it would have been the best redistricting proposal in the United States.

If so, it's now the nation's best dead redistricting proposal - and there is plenty of blame to spread around the Ohio Statehouse.

Less gerrymandering + more Representatives = better government?
Miller-McCune Online February 23, 2010
by Emily Badger Do gerrymanders come in shades of red and blue
Scholars assess whether the widely accepted notion that the current political polarization in the U.S. is due in part to ’safe’ political districts is accurate.

Miller-McCune Online September 17, 2009
by Lee Drutman Is the House of Representatives too small?
The U.S. House of Representatives has been at 435 members since 1911, when the country was a third of its current population. Research suggests that districts may now be getting too big for adequate representation.

Unique Last Chance?
IOWA

Chicago Tribune July 11, 2010
Lawmakers launch unique redistricting [that most Iowans ratify]
by Mike Glover
In Iowa, the issue is settled by the Legislative Services Agency, a nonpartisan group of lawyers and economists who draft bills, offer financial projections and give other technical advice to the Legislature. And they don't talk publicly about their recommendations.

Virginia
Richmond Times Dispatch July 11, 2010 Last Chance
Staff Reports writes:
Although the history of these exercises almost compels cynicism, as noted above, we are not ready to raise the white flag. With gusto we embrace the efforts of the Virginia Redistricting Coalition, whose members include numerous distinguished individuals from inside professional politics....

July 4th passes & still no redistricting reform; Aug. 4th deadline looms
Ohio
Ohio Legislators went back to their (probably) gerrymandered districts without passing necessary redistricting reform legislation. They have until August 4th, to pass a redistricting reform bill. But, they have to return to work. Ohio Impact - Political Accountability for Citizens Today has links to more information and recent headlines.

Wisconsin
In this opinion item posted on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the authors write :
As the charcoals cool and the fireworks fade after another Independence Day celebration of our ideals of freedom and equality, a specter remains: the gerrymander, poised to deny voters an equal voice in their elections for yet another decade.
read more by Krist Novoselic and Rob Richie
Redistricting need not be political blood sport

Florida
Fair Districts Florida.org listed as the Sponsor of Amendments 5 and 6 on the Florida 2010 General Election ballot had to be pleased their proposed amendment survived another court challenge.
Judge tosses out Legislature's bid on redistricting
July 7, 2010 Miami Herald by By Marc Caputo and Lee Logan wrote:
....Critics of Florida's system point out that Republicans control almost two-thirds of the Legislature and three-fifths of U.S. House seats, but registered Republicans are about 36 percent of the electorate.

National
Next is another opinion item by Michael McDonald and Micah Altman posted on the Washington Post July 9, 2010.
In Pulling back the curtain on redistricting

Redistricting Information Links
Redistricting Reform in the States: June 2010 Fair Vote The Center for Voting and Democracy

Redistricting Brennan Center For Justice

Apportionment Projections Polidata

Redistricting in America A State-by-State Analysis Rose Institute of State and Local Government

110th Congressional Districts National Atlas

List of United States Congressional Districts Wikipedia

Calling David Boies
In my view the "problem" with gerrymandering is only two political parties and one race participate in the scheme. If you don't have a D or R after your name you don't have a guy at the drawing board to mark out a district for your ideological point of view or ethnicity.

In a democratic America we would have (at least) as many congressional districts as there are counties - 3140. And those 3140 congressional districts could be built up out of voter registration party preferences. I don't even mind having districts based on race. As long as we all get to vote for someone who represents our ideology.
I live in a gerrymandered (R) district, I’m a D and my vote is very effectively sealed off from the Democratic Party in my state because of the gerrymandering.

The solution is to make districts 100% R, D, and whatever else. Even the conservatives could have their own congressional districts. A blend of GPS technology with specific location information and detailed voter registration rolls would make specific districting possible. From my local precinct I could vote for local issues and candidates, statewide issues, and national candidates on a personalized ballot.


The way it is now my right to have my vote count doesn’t even exist. Yes, I can vote, but my vote does not count because that fundamental part of my right to vote was bartered away in a back room deal between the Rs and Ds here in Ohio.

The conduct of the elected beneficiaries of our Constitution is rotten with corruption.

Congressional Redistricting - Reform Stalled?
House and Senate Democratic numbers are equally terrible....
Anti-Incumbent Election? Don’t Hold Your Breath
By Stuart Rothenberg, Roll Call Contributing Writer -- CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS Jan. 25, 2010

Ohio :
Unless reformers can persuade the legislature by Feb. 3 to approve ballot issues that would lead to sweeping changes in the redistricting process, most incumbents from political parties will find themselves in seats they can easily retain when the new districts are drawn up next year by the governor and the legislature.
This year's vote to decide who draws the map
By Jack Torry The Columbus Dispatch - January 25, 2010