Just The News– Oregon House Democrats will redraw their districts hand-in-hand with Republicans. The next decade of Oregon politics could depend on its fastest-growing group of voters without a capital letter next to their names.
Oregon is one of 35 states where state lawmakers redraw their districts based on the results of the 2020 U.S. Census. The once-a-decade process, redistricting, either sees state legislatures decide who they represent or independent panels draw the new political maps. In 2021, Oregon will draw its maps to contain a sixth U.S. House seat.
Redistricting has a big impact on voters and lawmakers. It can decide who wins elections, how political power is shared, which communities are represented and what laws are passed.
Over the decades, critics have accused the process of inflaming partisanship and giving majority parties incentive to manipulate—or gerrymander—district lines. But, House Democrats bucked that trend in 2021 when House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, gave Republicans equal seating on the House Redistricting Committee. more here
As a practical matter, why would independent voters complicate things, as the two parties have the only input to make the final result? I would expect business as usual, where independents get ignored. Although, pardon my biases, urban independents are probably more flaming communists (Demon core), rural probably lean Libertarian.
@Sippin’ Coffee — The independents complicate things for the two branches of the Uniparty as they try to engineer the new districts in ways that will set things up they way they conspire to do. Short version: the independents increase uncertainty.
If by being independent I’m causing an increase in uncertainty then I’m proud to be doing my part.
It’s the government for, by, and of the people, not the parties.