Arizona Fair Districts, Fair Elections Initiative (2008)
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The Fair Districts, Fair Elections Initiative is a proposed amendment to the Arizona Constitution is to ensure that congressional and legislative districts created by the Independent Redistricting Commission every ten years. The initiative will comply with the U.S. Constitution, other federal law and other provisions of the Arizona Constitution, and ensure districts are as competitive as practicable while respecting geography and community. It clarifies that competitiveness is a priority. It expands the size of the Commission and the way it is selected to make it more representative and it provides prompt judicial resolution of disputes arising out of the Commission's work.[1]
Supporting arguments
1) It elevates the competitive requirement among the list of criteria for redistricting, while still allowing valuable consideration of compactness, communities of interest and geographic boundaries.
- Background: In 2000, the voters hoped to make more competitive districts that were compact and respected their communities. What they got was a never-ending court battle. This language will result in more competitive districts, while still requiring attention to compact, contiguous districts that respect communities of interest.
- Important: increasing competition will not undermine minority districts because this initiative requires compliance with the Fair Voting Rights Act (minority districts) before the competition requirements are met. Nor will it increase gerrymandering, as the process of defining compactness is still in tact.
2) It creates original review for the Supreme Court so that any disputes can be cleared up more quickly.
- Background: Since the 2002 redistricting process began, Arizona has spent more than $6 million chasing redistricting disputes around the judicial branch. Further, district lines have continued to confuse voters. This initiative creates a simple and quick process for resolving disputes over redistricting. The Arizona Supreme Court will appoint a special master to rule on disputes within six months.
3) It increases the number of commissioners from 5 to 9, so that there will be greater diversity on the commission, and so that the commission will not be as easily swayed by any single special interest.
- Background: Redistricting is a high stakes game. Special interests lobbying for one set of lines or another overwhelmed the five commissioners who served in the first commission. Further, with only five commissioners, whole sectors of Arizona’s population are not represented. It will create a body that has the freedom to be more deliberative in its approach.
4) It requires the minority and majority caucuses to choose the commissioners, rather than the minority and majority leaders. This will also increase diversity and accountability while decreasing the influence of any single special interest.
- Background: The intent of the original language was to create a process that was more transparent and representative. This is difficult when one individual chooses the commissioners.
Campaign Support
The Arizona Advocacy Network and Former State Representative Ken Clark are sponsoring the initiative.[2]
See also
- Arizona 2008 ballot measures
- Arizona Initiative and Referendum Law
- Campaign finance requirements for Arizona ballot measures
- Petition drive deadlines in 2008
- Arizona signature requirements
