On January 3, a 3-judge U.S. District Court invalidated West Virginia’s U.S. House district boundaries. The vote was 2-1. Here is the opinion, which is interesting reading, especially the second half. The plan was rejected because one of the districts has a population of almost 5,000 more voters than one of the other districts. The opinion points out that no other state that has finished redistricting since the 2010 census has a population deviation greater than .03% (except for the Arkansas plan). But West Virginia’s plan has a .79% deviation.
One of the interesting facts in the opinion is that West Virginia and Iowa are the only states that have ever had at least two districts, in which the district boundaries have never split a county. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
Census stats are INSTANTLY obsolete.
1/2 votes x 1/2 gerrymander districts = 1/4 control.
How about direct taxes = voter votes.
One more part of the DARK AGE 1787 Constitution — coming apart at all seams and cracks.
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P.R. and nonpartisan App.V
Finally some common sense in West Byrdginia. Shifting Mason County from the 2nd to the 3rd CD was a gross cop-out by the legislature which was aided and abetted by Shelly Capito’s Republican cronies. There were plenty of other workable configurations which yielded much more compact districts. An example is one of mine at http://jeffbecker.us . Thornton Cooper is a good guy and I spoke with him on several occasions during redistricting meetings last spring. However, some of his own designs were real gerrymandered doozies.
One of our chief problems with congressional redistricting in WV is the election code prohibition of crossing county lines. IMHO, we should allow splitting counties for CDs, but ONLY if the split is at least 1/3 the county population and no more than two CDs per any one county.
Try this one: http://jeffbecker.us/files/2713/1248/6462/Congressional_Redistricting_-2.jpg
Each gerrymander district = 1 or more whole subdivisions plus max 2 parts — with current insane equal population math.
Reverse also.
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P.R. — One or more whole subdivisions will do quite OK — i.e. semi-permanent legislative body election areas.
I am an independent running for the US House Of Representatives in WV 1st district. Our campaign is a grassroots. We are looking for Volunteers to help canvass the area and organize events, carpooling, ect. Help us and Join our cause at : http://raymondvdavisiiiforuscongress.webs.com/
Well Raymond, looks like you may get a chance to run against Shelly Capito now… That is, unless she moves to Martinsburg or runs for governor or Senate instead.
ALL State stuff restrictions about U.S.A. Rep. gerrymander districts ONLY applies after the SCOTUS ordered equal census population stuff — which is one more SCOTUS invention.
How many ILLEGAL invaders (aka illegal immigrants) got counted in the 2010 gerrymander Census ???
P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
The 2nd (middle) district has a deviation of +3197. The 1st (northern) district has a deviation of -1674; while the 3rd (southern) district has a deviation of -1523.
West Virginia should take a card deck, replace the jokers with pictures of Judges Berger and Wood, and have the county commissioners from the counties along the northern and southern boundaries draw a cards. The two that draw a joker will have the requisite population shifted from their county to the north or south.