Hi everyone –
I am forwarding the update by Deb Howard, AZ Indivisible Redistricting Team Leader re yesterday’s IRC meeting. Please read and take action.
We are so fortunate to have Deb and the rest of the team on top of redistricting.
The next IRC meeting is on Thursday, Dec. 9 at 9am – join here: https://youtu.be/92fnPmAjDMc
Members of the public who request to comment on an item on this agenda may provide their public comments at this link: https://forms.gle/71NAWFnvaSayvdtk7
Please assist the team and make comments as requested below.
Maria
——– Forwarded Message ——–
| Subject: | Arizona Redistricting Update – Dec 7 |
|---|---|
| Date: | Tue, 7 Dec 2021 14:03:50 -0700 |
| From: | Deborah Howard <[email protected]> |
I want to share a few takeaways from the AIRC’s first “final decision meeting” yesterday. As you know I am hoping we will all continue to push for fair districts as hard in the next few weeks as we have in the last few months.
1. The VRA remains top of mind. On this issue the Chairwoman pointed out that each of the VRA districts presented in the draft maps were over-populated and were in need of correction. The AIRC seemed to have had a conversion moment in that they were briefly far more receptive to considering the proposals submitted by the AZ Latino Coalition for Fair Redistricting, for VRA districts in Maricopa and Pima Counties for both Congress and the State Legislature. and then…. * they got caught up in the “Yuma cut” and the district proposal named “Yuma Gold” proposed by the Yuma mayor. While providing direction on how to cut Yuma (the county and the city which has bipartisan support) they went down a rabbit hole of accepting the VRA districts associated with that cut. * As a principle we support the minority communities and voters protected by VRA districts and ask they be allowed to speak for themselves as to how best to draw those districts. Proposals that come from the community affected should be considered first and valued above proposals from others. This does not mean the AIRC must accept those proposals – but they should not reject them in favor of proposals from others without sincere consideration -and explaining why. * This is true for the Latino VRA districts in both Maricopa and Pima counties and the Am. Indian communities in N Arizona. * The AIRC has received additional information on racially polarized voting in proposed draft districts using additional elections. This information, and its impact, has not been made public. A truly transparent process requires that the documentation, and the analysis, be made public.
Please submit comments 1) supporting the Latino Coalition Districts and ask the AIRC to honor the voices in VRA districts first by giving them serious consideration. and 2) request the newest information and analysis on racially polarized voting be made available to the public.
2. Rural Voices want to be heard. At the Congressional level there are two western border districts – and both are urban. The northern district (CD9) which includes Mohave and La Paz counties is essentially a Maricopa Co west valley district w/ 65% of the population coming from Maricopa Co. The Southern district, (CD 7) is a VRA district and stretches along the southern border into Pima County and includes parts of Maricopa and Pinal Counties as well. * The fix for CD9 starts with CD 2 – which should be adjusted to unite western Yavapai County with Mohave and create an updated Colorado River, primarily rural district. * Do not feel you need to have a master’s in map drawing — it is the AIRC’s job to reconcile the “ripples” as they call them. It is our job to point out where districts need to be improved – where we see them. This one is a no-brainer…
3. Commissioner Mehl’s #TucsonGerrymander still stands. And continues to influence options for fair districts through the state. However legitimate the COI between Oro Valley and Marana it is not superior to the legitimate request of the Am Indian counties to have an opportunity district in the north.
4. There is no rhyme or reason to how the AIRC is proceeding. Which makes it really hard to engage. For instance, the Chairwoman asked to address the east valley in the LD plan and zeroed in on the “Consolidated Gilbert Plan.” This effectively frames draft LDs 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, and 15. All of this was generated from a last minute add-on hearing in Mesa on December 2. A competing vision received over 70 comments – which were ignored. The public comments are attached (Thank you to Ajlan Kurdoglu and LD 17). * The takeaway: Keep pushing for your community and fair districts. If the districts proposed are not going to serve your community, tell them. Over and over. And over again. It may not catch their attention. But we have to keep trying.
5. Commissioner York is obsessed with Sunny Slope and McCormack Ranch. If you are in these areas – rally now for how to construct districts around these areas. I wish I could give you specific impacts – but I do not know them. But if left to be defined by Commissioner York, nothing good will come of it. Of that I am certain.
6. The next “final decision meeting” is on Thursday. I will be live tweeting and otherwise screaming into the abyss. I hope you will continue to engage with me.
And let me know if I can be helpful in any way. Call, email, whatever — we are 15 days out — and we must not stand by as passive observers. Prop. 106 gives us the power and authority to insist on fair districts. Let me know what you need.
Lastly, here is an article, less emotional than my summary, of the meeting from Jeremy Duda, w/ the AZ Mirror. https://www.azmirror.com/2021/12/07/as-redistricting-panel-mulls-changes-to-draft-maps-partisan-schisms-appear/
Cheers. Deborah Howard [email protected] (916) 801-3723
Hi Team IRC!
Yesterday the IRC started the process of adjusting draft maps. They are starting with Congressional districts then moving on the Legislative districts.
The Chairwoman made remarks during the agenda item on public comments that testimony on “competitiveness“ had been heard. Let’s keep up the pressure. They are listening.
Quite a heated exchange occurred regarding proposed CD2, our district. It was as spirited a discussion as we’ve heard from the Commissioners. In the end, they agreed to draw two different sets of newly revised maps.
The first maps proposed by the Democrats would create two rural districts by separating Mingus Mountain from the rest of Yavapai county. The western district would add Mohave county and the Colorado River communities. The eastern district would include the Verde Valley, Sedona, Flagstaff, tribal lands, etc similar to what we have today. A big win for us should it be adopted.
The second map would combine the entire Northern AZ region running west to east. This map had been proposed by the Republicans and rejected during initial deliberations. It is back on the table and, if accepted, would be far worse than the proposed CD2 in the draft map.
On Thursday they will decide. Please send in comments supporting the creation of two rural districts. They would both be Republican districts, however, the eastern rural district would potentially be more competitive at 4% than where we are today at 7.8%.
Some time was also spent on legislative districts and when they eventually got to Northern AZ the primary discussion was about the Navajo Nation maps. There was no conversation about Sedona. I sent in a comment, don’t forget about us! Please do the same.
Please take the time to comment. We are including the email we received from Deb Howard who is heading up the IRC Indivisible group and IRC research. You can contact Deb, Holli or me about any thought or question you may have. IRC Meeting Schedule
Almost there, Toby and Holli