Designer Districts: Safe Seats Tailor Made for Incumbents
We are pleased to announce the release of our report: “Designer Districts: Safe Seats Tailor Made for Incumbents.” Click here to download the full report.
Every ten years, politicians across the country gear up for an intense struggle for their political lives – making certain that the new district lines preserve their own political futures and that of their party. Because the process affects the political life and death of politicians, it is an intensely political and partisan struggle. This battle most often takes place behind closed doors and gets little attention from the press or public until the district maps are revealed.
In California, as in many other states, the redistricting process is most often dominated by incumbent officeholders who make deals to preserve their own political turf and ensure years of non-competitive elections.
This report shows how redistricting, the re-drawing of political boundaries, is dominated by incumbent officeholders drawing lines to ensure their own re-election. It is a system that does more to protect the interests of incumbents than serve the voters of California.
Our analysis of elections since 1982 – covering three redistricting cycles – shows that competition was suppressed when redistricting was in the hands of incumbents in the 1980’s and 2000’s. But after a court-imposed redistricting in 1991, with lines drawn by three retired judges appointed by the California Supreme Court, competition rose in both U.S. House and state legislative races. The numbers tell the story:
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During the 1990 cycle, when an independent panel redrew the lines, the number of competitive races increased by more than 50 percent.
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During the 2000 cycle, when the legislature drew the lines, the number of competitive races decreased by more than 55 percent. In fact, no incumbents lost in either election, and in the 2004 elections, not one seat in the state legislature changed parties.
The increased number of competitive races under an independent redistricting regime assures a significantly greater level of accountability among lawmakers in California.
Common Cause is pushing for reforms that will:
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Create an independent redistricting commission
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Set fair criteria for congressional and legislative districts
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Ensure public participation and transparency