Flies, not Clowns

By Kelli Lundgren

It interests me that people are still accusing, or trying to find slip-ups in conversation and quotes to confirm Utah’s Republican legislators are diluting unwanted votes in this intense redistricting process. So and so said “Republicans want 62% Republicans in every Congressional District.” So and so said, “that.”

Then, the Legislative Redistricting Committee meets once again in front of the public, and every Republican presenting a map explains that it is imperative to have an urban/rural mix; or, we must have federal land in each district; or, we are dividing Salt Lake County in four to make “competitive districts.” All sound bites.

How silly is this? The elephant in the room is obvious, besides the Republican trademark. No matter how the Republicans want to spin facts, or the press accuse motive, redistricting’s big underlying principles by a supermajority party are simply to split up unwanted votes and to protect favored incumbents. So everybody, here is the elephant in the room. Now let’s move on.

Currently, Utah’s redistricting process is a boxing match. We’re in round 10, bloodied and battered on both sides. But the boxers aren’t the usual suspects. The opponents are Republicans. Each boxer has too many trainers in each respective corner; the (Republican) governor, other Republican legislators, Carl Wimmer, and anyone Republicans owe a favor. Each and every trainer is giving each boxer inconsistent advice, thus repeated rounds.

The Democrats? They are the spectators, but with front row seats. They are now finally on their feet cautiously yelling for democracy, but still on the sidelines.

And RepresentMeUtah? We’re the fly incessantly bugging the boxers. It’s hard for the boxers to swat at us because of their gloves, and because they have to focus their swollen eyes on their Republican opponent at all times.

RepresentMeUtah! is a small fly. The much bigger fly is the public. And we’re buzzing around the Republican boxing ring. What a nuisance.

This week, RepresentMeUtah walked into the redistricting committee meeting, all six members for the first time together and asked for compromise. You cannot believe the heart wrenching workings that went on behind our scenes when we asked ourselves if we and the public could support a modified pizza slice plan, a compromise presented by Senator Ben McAdams.

In the end, this week, we did not get much public interest behind the map because there is a better, more favorable map still out there; the King01/Garber, I’ll call “excellent map.” It’s compact and doesn’t use voter data to dilute Democratic votes. I personally believe, and am sick with this knowledge, that a map that does not dilute Democratic votes will be rejected by Republicans.

So, with pain, I endorse a map, the McAdams Compromise Map, that at least shows some compromise. Acceptance of such a map, I think at least, would thwart a Democratic lawsuit. But this is just my opinion. I do not know what the Democrats will accept. And too, a compromise would call off RepMeU and coalition groups from rallying again, and instead we could offer a “thank you for compromising” to our legislature.

RepresentMeUtah members have been called many names in this process by legislative members, and by conservatives, and that is expected. We’re simply not going to give up. The press started out calling us a good government group, then called us a “supposed good government group,” and settled last month on calling us a reform group. It will be interesting to see what they will be calling us next month.

RepresentMeUtah!’s journey is much greater than redistricting. We don’t know if we will have any impact on the redistricting process, but we’re trying. The reality that we are very aware of is: the Republican Legislature is holding most of the cards.

I used to sit comfortably on my couch and accept the fact that I live in a conservative state. I vote Republican and Democratic in this state, for candidates and not for political parties. I vote for candidates seemingly practical, tolerant, and progressive. I would love to see more moderate Republicans backing fair representation in the redistricting process because I believe fair districts will benefit them too.

I would love to see the two in three registered Utah voters that don’t vote, get out to vote next year, instead of rolling their eyeballs. Their massive voting power could make a huge difference.

I would love to see our state heading more toward moderation and reason, versus toward fear and a distaste for Democrats.

So I am willing to look like a clown and be called names when fighting for a return to compromise and reason.

Utah Base Senate Map Needs Work! By Kelli Lundgren

Utah’s new base Senate redistricting map doesn’t pass muster. It unnecessarily divides cities, counties and communities for incumbency protection.

For example, the Senate created a “thumb” district extension of Tooele County into west Salt Lake valley to secure an incumbent residing in Salt Lake County. (See base Senate map.) This resulted in taking a swath of residential Tooele County and giving it to Box Elder County, which has no direct transportation link.

The Senate secured incumbents in Weber and Davis County, discussed as an important measure in Sept. 7th’s Legislative redistricting meeting. The committee rationed this as one reason why it had to take Stansbury Park from Tooele, or it would mess up boundaries for other northeastern incumbents.

Also egregious: when you count the total population for Utah County, it needs 5.5 Senators. It’s getting eight. The Senate has pulled in populations from four perimeter counties, including Salt Lake. Incumbent protection is involved once again.

The reality is: minimizing city and county divides means you can’t play politics, and redistricting, as it is, is all about serious politics.

Utah voters vote 60% Republican and 40% Democrat on average. 73% of our legislators are Republican. With the greatest off-balance in a two-party system in the nation, Utah Republicans control just about every string of Utah’s political puppet.

In redistricting, the Democrats ask for what they want, wait in the hallways for an outcome, and then find out with the rest of us what Republicans have decided.

Waiting with Utah’s Democrats for a redistricting outcome are: RepresentMeUtah!, other political activist groups, many rural and urban citizens, and municipal leaders; all that have requested to keep communities together. A $100K software program for public input and an around-the-state road trip now seem an awful waste.

Senator Stuart Reid said the legislators are the best and most knowledgeable people to draft the maps now. Senator Michael Waddoups told good government groups off the cuff at Sept. 12th’s meeting we’re not listening to you anymore. Did he ever listen in the first place?

Good government groups like the base map for the House. (Utah Base House Map.) Its areas are fairly compact and keep several communities together. Also, we have seen the House use comments and concerns from citizens from the road trip, such as putting Cedar City back together in one district after proposing a split down its main street; keeping representation of Rosepark in Salt Lake County and not diluting its votes into Davis County. This certainly doesn’t mean that incumbency was not considered in the House map. I am certain it was. But the House has at least thrown Democrats and citizens a bone and listened to some of our comments. There's some hope.

RepresentMeUtah! believes that political systems in every state should ignore incumbents when drawing new boundaries. As Utah citizens, RepresentMeUtah! members are not counting safe seats for Democrats and Republicans. We believe that if new boundaries preserve county, city and community borders as much as possible, given one-person-one-vote parameters, democracy is better served. Voter-reflective representation, which is well needed in Utah, is better achieved.

If an impartial redistricting process were to be performed, politics would need to fly out the window. Democracy would take its place.

Redistricting’s squash of democracy is not unique to Utah. Yet in all other states, two parties duke out new boundaries and come to a compromise. In supermajority Utah, Republican legislators have the final say.

September 22nd should be interesting as it is the final public meeting and we will be looking at maps of four new U.S. Congressional districts. Utah’s three congressmen are invited to attend and submit maps. That’s when high drama begins. Oh wait, it already has!

Doughnuts or pizza anyone?