Editor,
Hoosier voters should choose their elected officials, not the other way around. Yet, politicians take advantage of the current partisan redistricting process to tip the scales in favor of one party over another. The result? Unfair and uncompetitive elections that cost Hoosiers their voice in the election process.
Indiana state legislative districts show obvious signs of gerrymandering. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb won with just 51 percent of the vote statewide in 2016, yet Republicans control 70 percent of the seats in the Indiana House and 82 percent of the seats in the Indiana Senate.
The current system of drawing legislative districts is demonstrably broken. But there’s an opportunity to fix this once and for all.
I’m calling on State Sen. Victoria Spartz and State Rep. Kathy Richardson to support a simple up or down vote on a truly independent redistricting commission during the 2018 legislative session. Members of both political parties have bills to get this done, and it’s time for Sen. Spartz and Rep. Richardson to go on the record. Do they support fair and competitive elections, or not?
We want our voices and our votes back.
Holly Bahr
Noblesville
