Rally Tuesday to End Partisan Gerrymandering
Rally Tuesday to End Partisan Gerrymandering
Event Set for 10 AM Outside Supreme Court
No matter which political party you support, gerrymandering can deny you your right to fair representation.
As part of our ongoing efforts to combat this anti-democratic process, Common Cause will join in a rally outside of the Supreme Court on Tuesday as the justices hear the landmark case Gill v. Whitford.
We have a real chance to end extreme political gerrymandering. Gill v. Whitford could stop politicians from manipulating our elections by drawing districts for partisan advantage.
Americans deserve fair, equal representation, and meaningful choices at the ballot box. Unfortunately, partisan politicians and special interests have rigged the system to box out their competition, dilute the influence of communities of color, and preserve their own power.
A decision in favor of the plaintiffs would set an outer limit for partisan imbalance in congressional and legislative districts.
By limiting the usage of partisan gerrymandering, the Supreme Court can prevent legislators from silencing the voices of voters. That’s what happened in Wisconsin’s 2012 election, the focus of the lawsuit, when despite winning only 49% of the vote, Republican lawmakers gained control of 61% of the state legislature.
Attendees to the rally will hear from several of the case’s plaintiffs and political leaders that are leading the fight against gerrymandering, including former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
As California’s chief executive, Schwarzenegger partnered with California Common Cause to win a ballot initiative creating an independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, now considered a national model for taking gerrymandering out the hands of partisan lawmakers. The former bodybuilder and movie star remains in the thick of the fight; “it is time to terminate gerrymandering,” he declared in a conference call with reporters in September.