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Redistricting in Arkansas
errymandering — what does this word really Article 8, Section 1 of the Arkanmean and where did it come from? You hear sas Constitution created “The Board both political parties using this word at the of Apportionment,” consisting of beginning of each decade. Gerrymandering the Governor (who shall be Chairmeans to manipulate the boundaries of an electoral constitu- man), the Secretary of State and the ency to create a result to favor one party or class. Early in Attorney General. This board’s duty the 19th century, Gov. Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts drew is to draw 100 state house districts Josh Curtis a new voting district that favored his party. The district was and 35 senate districts following Governmental Affairs Director shaped like a salamander. This district map was published in each federal census. Arkansas Code § the Boston Weekly Messenger with the title The Gerry-Man- 7-2-101 through § 7-2-105 is where der. Hence the word Gerrymandering. you will find the composition of all Every 10 years at the turn of the decade officials are required four congressional districts. These districts are amended by the to redistrict all district lines for elected officials to provide equal general assembly after each federal census, as well. Arkansas is known as a mixed method state, using the representation for every citizen. These officials include all four congressional seats, 35 state senate seats, 100 seats in the state Board of Apportionment to draw the legislative lines and the state legislature to draw House of Representathe congressional lines. tives, and countless There are three other justice of the peace and mixed states — Missouri, city council districts. rkansas is known as a mixed method state, using Ohio and Pennsylvania. Amendment 55, Seven states have a board Section 2 of the Arkanthe Board of Apportionment to draw the legislalike that of Arkansas, but sas Constitution states drawing both congressiothe county’s election tive lines and the state legislature to draw the congressional and legislative lines. commission “shall, afThirty-six states have the ter each decennial cennal lines. There are three other mixed states — Missouri, state legislature drawing sus, divide the county Ohio and Pennsylvania. all the lines. Only four into convenient and states have an Indepensingle member districts dent Commission as the so the Quorum Court redistricting authority. shall be based upon the inhabitants of the county with each member representing, These states are California, Arizona, Colorado, and Michigan. This article was supposed to be all about ballot Issue 4, as nearly as practicable, an equal number thereof.” Arkansas Code § 7-4-102 outlines that the membership of the county “The Arkansas Citizens’ Redistricting Commission Amendboard of election commissioners shall consist of two members ment.” The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled 6-1 in late August elected by the county committee of the majority party; and that Issue 4 and Issue 5 did not qualify for the ballot because one member elected by the county committee of the minority sponsors failed to certify that paid canvassers passed required party. According to Arkansas Code § 7-1-101 (18), “major- background checks. Sponsors using the word “acquired” when ity party” means “that political party in the State of Arkansas submitting information about canvasser background checks whose candidates were elected to a majority of the constitu- to the state led to tens of thousands of voter signatures being tional offices of this state in the last preceding general elec- tossed and Issue 4 and Issue 5 being struck from the ballot. tion.” There are seven constitutional offices in Arkansas, so if This issue will come back up in some sort of fashion in the the Republicans hold only three of those offices, as they did future, so I will go ahead and let you see what both sides said after the 2010 general election, then the Democrats are the about this proposed constitutional amendment. Republican Party of Arkansas Chairman Doyle Webb said, majority party. The Republicans now, of course, hold all seven “This proposal is another out-of-state billionaire-funded atof the state’s constitutional offices. Therefore each county election commission has two Republicans and one Democrat that draws new district lines for their counties. See “Redistricting” on Page 46 > > >
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COUNTY LINES, SUMMER 2020
