NC coalition calls for reform of redistricting process

After a sweeping Republican victory in the N.C. General Assembly on election night, calls have resurfaced for redistricting reform in next year’s legislative session.

The N.C. Coalition for Lobbying and Government Reform, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the legislative process, is leading the push to reform the drawing of new district boundaries.

The coalition, along with other groups, aims to revitalize N.C. House Bill 824, which would designate a nonpartisan staff to use census data to draw district lines. The bill passed the House of Representatives in June 2011 but died in the Senate.

After winning majorities in both state legislative chambers in 2010 for the first time in more than 100 years, Republicans wielded the advantage of drawing their own district maps.

“Every time we have an election, people are reminded how imperfect the process is,” she said.

The coalition met with the government affairs committee of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce earlier this month. Pinsky said the group will host similar meetings in some of the largest cities in the state through January.

“We think all citizens have an interest, but now we are starting with the business community,” she said.

Pinsky said she hopes people will encourage their legislators to pass the reform legislation.

She said the bill is modeled after a similar one in Iowa and has strong support from a variety of nonpartisan groups.

N.C. Rep. Earline Parmon, D-Forysth and state senator-elect, said she supports redistricting reform because she’s tired of voters being marginalized by the current districts.

Groups opposed to the new districts have accused Republicans of bunching African-Americans in districts to limit their influence.

“I want to be optimistic that my colleagues in the General Assembly will recognize the fact that there needs to be at least some type of reform,” she said.

William Cobey, the former chairman of the N.C. Republican Party, said the reform would create more cohesive and compact districts. Gerrymandering is especially egregious in heavily populated counties, he said.

“I would just like the voters to choose their representative, rather than the representative choosing their voters,” he said.

District lines will be drawn again in 2021. Cobey said he hopes proposing the reform far in advance will improve the chances of the bill’s passage.

“It’s hard for whoever is in power to think … They might not be in power 10 years from now,” Cobey said.

“I think reform is a long shot. It’s not really easy to get people to change anything. But that doesn’t mean you don’t try.”

Contact the desk editor at state@dailytarheel.com.