Ask Auntie Pinko
June 13, 2002

Dear Auntie Pinko,

I direct your attention to the recent Economist magazine (le Pen on the cover). In it there is a detailed article on redistricting and the tendency to draw large numbers of "safe" representative districts, which guarantee the election of a particular candidate. I want to know, how do I determine if I'm in such a district. That way, I'll be able to choose to help an electoral fight there's a chance of winning.

Yours,

"Boxed In?"
Clemson, SC

 
Dear "Boxed?"

As far as Auntie Pinko knows, short of being on the Redistricting Commission for your jurisdiction, there is no absolutely reliable way of knowing the precise intent of those who drew the boundaries in your area. Having been a part of the process in the dim past, however, I'll gladly discuss what I remember about the process and give you a few hints.

Of course partisanship enters the process. This is why seemingly trivial election battles are sometimes contested with greater-than-usual ferocity in the election cycles when redistricting is an upcoming issue. Everyone knows that the party predominating in the jurisdiction will have the greatest influence in drawing boundaries. However, boundaries can, and have been, successfully contested in court when partisanship distorts the process beyond a shifting, misty line of acceptability.

So parties will naturally take the voting patterns of an area into account when they are drawing boundaries. But voting patterns are only one factor that must be considered. Other factors include geography, race, achieving a roughly equal number of potential voters in each district, and sometimes geography-related issues will come into consideration as well. (For example, an effort might be made to encompass an ecologically-sensitive area in a district. And districts are usually, but not always, drawn on urban/suburban/rural lines to ensure the representation of the types of issues which concern people living in those types of communities.)

Auntie Pinko lived for years in a "safe" Democratic district of a large Midwestern city. How did I know it was "safe?" Well, in the entire history of the city, only one Republican had ever been voted to the House of Representatives from that district. And that was more than sixty years ago. Now, Congressional districts are large areas. And within that district there were many smaller districts representing representatives to the state legislature, and a small number of them regularly returned a Republican to those seats. But looking at a map, it was clear that short of unconstitutional shenanigans, there would never be any way of returning a Republican to Congress from that district.

Did that mean that the Democrats in that district didn't bother to get involved in electoral campaigns? Hardly!

No one lives in just one district. Auntie Pinko, for instance, lives in seven. The boundaries that dictate my choice for who my candidates for President, Senator and Governor (and other statewide offices,) Congressional representative, state Senator, state Assembly representative, County Council representative, and City Council representative are all different districts. In some, Democratic candidates are shoo-ins, in some, it's a fight, in some, they seem a lost cause.

By keeping in touch with my fellow-Democrats and remaining active in the Party, I can generally keep track of where my time and efforts will be most useful and well-spent. The intricacies of who is a good candidate for a "safe" race, who is a good candidate for a fight or a lost cause are something you can only learn through experience and knowledge of your district. Yet another reason to get involved with your local and state Democratic Party, if you haven't already, "Boxed!" And thanks for asking Auntie Pinko.