Grayson Bill Makes Gerrymandering Unconstitutional
Statement
Congressman Alan Grayson (D-FL09) today introduced a bill that amends the US Constitution "to prohibit gerrymandering in the establishment of Congressional districts." This is the first bill ever introduced in the House that would make gerrymandering unconstitutional.
The "Fair Districts Amendment" prohibits all Congressional districts from being "drawn with the intent to favor or disfavor a political party or an incumbent." It also prohibits districts from being drawn to disadvantage "racial or language minorities," and requires districts to "consist of contiguous territory" and use "existing political and geographical boundaries" whenever possible.
"Our current districting system is a joke," Congressman Grayson said. "In 2014, Democrats got one million more votes than Republicans in House elections, but we still lost seats. All across the country, you see ridiculously shaped districts whose sole purpose is to make sure the party in power stays in power. My amendment makes these districts unconstitutional. It requires districts to be drawn fairly and logically."
Lawrence Lessig, Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School, praised The Fair Districts Amendment. "This is critical leadership on the urgent problem of giving America a Congress that represents America," he said. "Partisan gerrymandering has crippled Congress. This is a critical step towards fixing it."
"The states themselves are not going to solve this problem," Congressman Grayson added. "Look at the mess we have in Florida right now. We've been arguing about redistricting the state for almost four years. Only by amending the Constitution to prohibit gerrymandering can we guarantee fair elections for all 435 House seats."
To be added to the Constitution, the Congressman's bill must be passed by two-thirds of both the House and Senate, and then ratified by three-quarters of US states (38). "I'm optimistic that we can get this done," Congressman Grayson said. "Americans say they want to see fairer elections and new faces in Congress, and have their voices heard. By ratifying this amendment we will move towards an even more democratic and representative government."
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