SB326 Killed in House But the Struggle Will Continue The redistricting standards bill that passed the Indiana State Senate in late January, SB326, died when it failed to get a hearing in the House Elections Committee.  Committee Chairman Milo Smith claimed that Indiana must wait to move on this modest reform effort until the U.S. Supreme Court hands down its decision in the Wisconsin partisan gerrymandering and his statement was backed up by the Speaker of the House.  Both legislators are simply making excuses -- if anything all the recent legal activity surrounding partisan gerrymandering should spur Indiana to act -- because the states that aren't getting sued are the ones with citizens' redistricting commissions.    While it is disappointing that SB326 did not make it through the process this year we should take some satisfaction from passing a redistricting reform bill through the Indiana Senate - that is no small accomplishment and something some folks believed would never happen.    And, we also were successful in getting Senate Concurrent Resolution 30 signed.  SCR 30 calls for a summer study to examine redistricting issues, including implications from the U.S. Supreme Court case.  The study committee will be a useful tool to organize around and help us continue to keep pressure on state lawmakers.     To be successful in 2019 we need to make redistricting reform one of the top issues in state legislative campaigns this fall.  We'll be working on a candidate survey and we'll need everyone's help in getting candidates to respond.  So stay tuned, our coalition will be meeting soon after the session adjourns to regroup and formulate a plan for moving forward.    You can help by writing a letter to the editor about the demise of SB326 and challenging lawmakers to take a stand against partisan gerrymandering.    Thanks for everything you are doing to move redistricting reform forward.  We've come a long way and have farther to go so remember to pace yourself.  This is a marathon and not a sprint.   ALL IN FOR DEMOCRACY (The Indiana Coalition for Independent Redistricting)  March 2018

SAMPLE LETTER TO LEGISLATORS   An LWVSWIN resolution calling for an independent redistricting commission in Indiana was passed by the Evansville City Council on 9/11/17. The Vanderburgh County Commissioners passed a similar resolution on 10/3/17.   CLICK FOR A PDF OF REDISTRICTING RESOLUTION CLICK FOR A PDF OF THE COUNTY REDISTRICTING RESOLUTION Letter to the Evansville Courier: Indiana missed chance to end gerrymandering Evansville City Council Passes Redistricting Resolution Resolution Supports Indiana Voting Redistricting Commission Vanderburgh Co. Commission Against Gerrymandering Vanderburgh County Commissioners Aim to End Gerrymandering Indiana League Redistricting Initiative/History   REDISTRICTING HEADLINES Indiana Redistricting Reform Advocates Disappointed By Supreme Court Rulings Supreme Court Justices: No definitive ruling on partisan districts Indiana election reforms approved by Senate die in House Redistricting Reform Dies in Indiana House Redistricting Standards Bill Unlikely To Advance Gerrymandering challenges keep rising Both bill, resolution addressing redistricting reform pass through state Senate LETTER: Give us back our vote Senators kill amendments to redistricting bill Foot-dragging 'Baby step' to fix gerrymandering insufficient Indiana lawmakers consider watered-down redistricting reform bill Redistricting reform moving forward Indiana Senate panel backs redistricting baby step With support from grassroots organizations, lawmakers work to reform redistricting laws NC case adds to urgency of redistricting overhaul Key lawmakers, governor skeptical about chance for redistricting reform this year District maps low on GOP's agenda. Civic groups pushing for change in law Senate Leaders Want Conversation Shift In Redistricting Debate Redistricting, minimum wage, opioid epidemic and workforce dev. top legislative session goals Redistricting Cases Could Redefine State and U.S. Politics in 2018 Northwest Indiana senator wants commission, not lawmakers, to draw legislative district boundaries Activists push for fair legislative district boundaries City Council backs state redistricting reform State Senate Republicans file redistricting reform bill Support growing for redistricting reform Letter: Do not assume legislature cant handle redistricting Toward a healthier democracy Indiana Senate Democrats Unveil 2018 Agenda Shella: Forcing Republicans, Democrats to work together Indianapolis City-County Council passes redistricting reform proposal Luck of the draw Redistricting equality begins with education New case, same battle over partisan gerrymandering COLUMN: The effects of extreme partisan gerrymandering Study Committee Hears Testimony On Election Reform Tully: A surefire way to improve politics, Indiana and the Republic Border wars: Indiana attorney general on wrong side of Supreme Court gerrymandering case Editorial: Here's how to fix Indiana's rigged voting system Questions Over Political Redistricting Rise To Supreme Court Rally aims to renew focus on redistricting Hawes column: Looking for balance in redistricting Fear of Fraud could attacks on voting rights EDITORIAL: How those in power stay there Urban-rural divide affects Indiana's gap Our Opinion: Maybe Next Year on Redistricting Reform? SCHNEIDER: Time for independence in redistricting is now Letter: Redistricting plan discriminatory Lawmakers must loosen death grip on redistricting Ward: Redistricting efforts, maybe next year Redistricting Reform Still A Challenge For Lawmakers Redistricting Reform Advocates Say The Real 'Rigged System' Is Gerrymandering Redistricting bill no more, but criticism continues GOP wimps out on redistricting again MORTON MARCUS: Indianas legislature positions itself to fail Letter: Vote on redistricting bill Redistricting changes unlikely in Indiana this year Ken de la Bastide column: GOP blocks redistricting reform Tribune-Star Editorial: Indiana voters deserve reform in registration, redistricting Redistricting Reform Likely Dead This Session Drawing the line: Redistricting bill worthy of lawmakers' attention Committee Chair Blocks Vote On Redistricting Reform Despite testimony backing it, redistricting bill appears dead Drawing the line: Stalled redistricting efforts need citizens' push Greencastle City resolution urges redistricting process attention House Bill 1378 establishes a redistricting commission Senate Bill 278 (Redistricting Bill) Editorial: Supreme Court v. gerrymander Redistricting a prime concern Cities call for change in Indiana redistricting Citizens groups prescribe redrawing of districts: Indiana urged to change process DOUG ROSS: Incumbents vs. voters in redistricting fight Our Opinion: Changing where and how you draw the lines in Indiana Changing district lines in Indiana Helping ensure competitive elections in Indiana EDITORIAL: Redistricting reform deserves Region support Valpo City Council backs redistricting reform Editorial: It's time to end gerrymandering Readers react: Illinois Supreme Court shoots down redistricting reform Drawing fair lines in democracy How the GOP gamed the voting system to dominate and why elections are an anti-democratic mess Leaders eye legislative redistricting reforms DOWNLOAD A REDISTRICTING BROCHURE WEBB: TOURING OUR GERRYMANDERED DISTRICT  Jon Webb walked with people taking part in the state’s first Gerrymander Meander   by Jon Webb, jon.webb@courierpress.com  published in the Evansville Courier & Press July 11, 2017    Julia Vaughn stood in front a packed conference room at St. Lucas United Church of Christ, talking about the birthday boy.  “Elbridge Gerry should be remembered as an American patriot,” she said. “But he isn’t.”   The signer of the Declaration of Independence / vice president / powdered-wig enthusiast is the namesake for “gerrymandering”: the act of slicing political districts into politically advantageous shapes. He was born July 17, 1744, and the crowd at UCC gathered on Monday for two reasons: to kind-of ironically honor his birthday, and to protest the very thing that made him famous.  hey even had cake and punch. Several dozen folks – from older women to chatty kids -- took part in the state’s first Gerrymander Meander, put on by the League of Women Voters. From St. Lucas, volunteers walked through Jimtown in 90-degree heat, sweat stains darkening t-shirts that advocated for a fair electoral system. Vaughn, the policy director for Common Cause Indiana, drove from Indianapolis for the event. She’ll turn up in Bloomington for another Meander on Saturday, all leading to a “big rally” at the statehouse on July 17. She worked with local League of Women Voters reps Kathy Solecki and Ann Ennis to put the shindig together. She said that while the latest batch of redistricting gave Republicans a massive advantage in the state legislature, the issue itself is nonpartisan. The majority party in Indiana reworks districts after each census. “Both parties are guilty of gerrymandering. Democrats have done it, Republicans have done it,” she said. “It just so happened that in 2011, Republicans, for the first time in 20 years, controlled the entire process because they controlled both chambers. And you can see the evidence of that in election results.”    Republicans boast 70 of the 100 seats in the House. Before the last redistricting, Democrats controlled the House eight out of 10 years between 2000 and 2010. And in the Senate, well, “blood bath” only does it justice if the bather is an African elephant. As of this year, the GOP controls 41 of the 50 seats.   “Redistricting reform won’t turn a red state blue or turn a blue state red. But what it will do is more clearly represent the will of the voters,” she said. “We are a Republican state, but we’re not an 80 percent Republican state.” After Vaughn’s talk, walkers flooded the jagged sidewalks of Jimtown. Solecki seemed to be everywhere, pointing out gnarly bulges in the concrete and asking everyone to watch their step.  On Baker Avenue, a shirtless fellow twinkling with sweat noticed the large group carrying bright neon signs and stepped down from his porch. “What are you all doing?” he asked. “Gerrymandering!” a walker answered. “Oh,” he said.