A quick note to ask that you keep redistricting on your to do list —we are in the final stretch. Just a quick update to let you know where things stand. The AIRC will meet today from 1:00 – 5:00 and are scheduled to meet 9:00 – 5:00 Monday through Wednesday to finalize congressional and state legislative district plans.
You may have read, or heard, that Dems scored “big wins” on Friday. Like much you read and hear these days, the “win” is exaggerated. As Commissioner Lerner pointed out in recommending the Dem version to start with that day, she did not like either version as both had at their base a deeply imbalanced framework.
She did not say this, but I will. We are likely to get really sucky maps. We still have an opportunity to get less-sucky maps. And that is to keep advocating for adjustments to the districts that reflect your real lives and the community itself. And do not let up on the calls for competitiveness; highlighting the inconsistencies applying the six constitutional criteria in creating districts throughout the state; the corruption that created the #TucsonGerrymander; and the complete failure to conduct their business with any real measure of transparency.
The really great breakthrough on Friday was it seemed that they came to an almost resolution on the boundaries of the Latino Coalition’s proposed Voting Rights Act districts. IF, and it’s a BIG IF, those districts remain stable, it will provide some measure of integrity in the remaining districts.
Chairwoman Neuberg announced she had meetings yesterday planned with members of the Am Indian communities in northern Arizona. She was hoping to devise a compromise that “respected the American Indian community and other potentially marginalized communities.” Or some such rubbish.
All remaining meetings will be in person at the Kimpton – Hotel Palomar Hotel (2 E. Jefferson St.) in downtown Phoenix in the Cityscape, Dream Catcher Room. They WILL NOT be accepting live public comments. But the meeting itself is open to the public.
The link below repeats the above message and adds the links to both watch the meetings and submit comments.
Updated Last Push Talking Pointshttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1EFRDgbYfU2a9Sq0KLPXGL1vpFA6MYgG2EVuUWHRdu1w/edit?usp=sharing
3.5 days to go – but who is counting?
Deborah Howard[email protected] (916) 801-3723