To the editor: Voter registration information have persistently proven lately that the group of Individuals falling into the impartial or decline-to-state-party classes continues to develop. Based on a recent Gallup poll, neither of our two “main” political events signify even a 3rd of voters. However this stark reality, the Republicans and Democrats have maintained their vice-like grips on our nation’s politics attributable to quite a lot of monetary and different elements, not least of which is the flexibility to keep up “protected” voting districts that make sure that one in every of these two events will persistently prevail in a specific district (“South Carolina joins Southern redistricting push after U.S. Supreme Court ruling on minority districts,” Might 6).
It’s thus not stunning that some stage of voter district gerrymandering has been a constant function of American politics. However we’ve seen an enhanced stage of deliberate “redistricting” for political benefit this previous yr, beginning with President Trump’s path to Texas Republicans, resulting in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Proposition 50 retort and now the much more over-the-top efforts in Virginia and different states. It have to be seen for what it’s: a direct affront to our democracy geared toward silencing the voices of quite a few voters. Sufficient is sufficient, and it’s time that a number of, true leaders on either side of the political divide emerge to say so.
Russ Swartz, Granada Hills
..
To the editor: So let me get this straight. The Supreme Court docket dominated that race can’t be used to redistrict a state’s electoral map. Nonetheless, race can be utilized to take away or cut up up districts.
Race is clearly getting used as standards to create states with fewer or no majority-Black districts — Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina and Texas, to call a number of. Can we see a sample right here?
Dianne Gorsey, Sherman Oaks
..
To the editor: Goodbye, racial gerrymandering. Howdy unrestricted Democratic and Republican Get together gerrymandering (“California under pressure — again — as partisan redistricting wars escalate,” Might 7). Gerrymandering of both selection is a failure of democracy. America needs to be ashamed of itself.
Incumbency already has extra energy than it deserves to just about assure reelection. Partisan gerrymandering is incumbency set in stone, and it disenfranchises impartial voters.
California’s gerrymandering is already so closely skewed towards the Democratic Get together. Practically a quarter of California’s voters who don’t affiliate with both main occasion are unlikely to ever be capable of vote for his or her first selection of a candidate.
Janet Weaver, Huntington Seaside
..
To the editor: Tennessee has drawn new district maps to remove its one Democratic and Black-dominated district (“Tennessee lawmakers pass U.S. House map carving up majority-Black district in Memphis,” Might 7). This splits Memphis, a majority-Black metropolis, into three districts. One encompasses a swath of geography that extends halfway across the state. The lone Black legislator within the state will probably be gerrymandered out of workplace.
This exhibits how flawed the Supreme Court docket determination to desecrate the Voting Rights Act was. It’s time to reform the un-Supreme Court docket, or junk it.
Thomas Oatway, Valencia
