[EL] How Democrats are ‘unilaterally disarming’ in the redistricting wars [not doing that in Oregon]

[Dan Meek]

Politico published another incorrect statement about Oregon redistricting here:
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-score/2021/06/21/election-bill-gets-a-vote-this-week-796033

That article incorrectly states:  "States like Oregon, Virginia and Colorado shifted to independent 
processes in a push for good governance and to avoid gerrymandering."  Oregon has not shifted to an 
independent process.  The process remains the same as it has been for decades under Article IV Section 
6 of the Oregon Constitution.  Redistricting is in the hand of the Oregon Legislature (heavily 
Democratic), unless it misses the newly-relaxed September 27 deadline.  If the deadline is missed, 
then redistricting is done by the Oregon Secretary of State (also a Democrat).  There is no 
"independent process."

Dan Meek ⚖

	503-293-9021 	dan at meek.net <mailto:dan at meek.net>	855-280-0488 fax




On 6/21/2021 4:27 PM, Dan Meek wrote:
>
> Oregon has not created an independent redistricting commission of any sort.
>
> Also, the Politico story is wrong about Democrats in the Oregon Legislature giving up their power to 
> redistrict their own seats and congressional seats.  They did not do that.  They only added one 
> Republican to the House Redistricting Committee, making it evenly balanced D/R.  The Oregon Senate 
> Committee remains with a 3-2 D majority.  But neither of those committees has veto power over 
> adoption of new districts by the large D majorities in both chambers.
>
> Both chambers have a "withdrawal" rule that allows any member to move to bring any bill to the floor 
> for an immediate and final vote.  The motion to withdraw is not debatable and succeeds on a majority 
> vote on the floor.  If the motion succeeds, the bill is immediately put to a vote on the floor and 
> also succeeds on a majority vote.
>
> The Oregon House is 37 Ds v. 23 Rs.  The Oregon Senate is 18 Ds v. 10 Rs v. 2 Independent Party 
> members who vote with the Rs. The Rs cannot bottle up a Democratic redistricting bill in the House 
> Redistricting Committee, due to the "withdrawal" process.
>
> Dan Meek ⚖
>
> 	503-293-9021 	dan at meek.net <mailto:dan at meek.net>	855-280-0488 fax
>
>
> On 6/21/2021 2:12 PM, Pildes, Rick wrote:
>>
>> I have a question about the recent Politico story with that title.  I’m inclined to think it’s 
>> misleading.
>>
>> From my recollection, in most of these examples, it is not Democratic legislatures that have 
>> created these independent commissions.  It is voters, through voter initiatives, that have created 
>> them.  As far as I can recall, the only two states in which Democratic legislatures did this are VA 
>> and OR.  In VA, that was because Democrats campaigned throughout the decade against the Republican 
>> gerrymander and insisted on a commission; once they got in power, most Democrats tried to walk away 
>> from their prior commitment, but just enough of them felt obligated to stick with that commitment, 
>> and so, with a lot of Republican votes, the commission was adopted.  The situation in OR, which is 
>> unique, does fit the claim of the piece.  But it seems to me more wrong than right to claim that 
>> Democratic legislatures are voluntarily giving up the power to redistrict where they have it.
>>
>> Let me know if I’m missing parts of the larger picture.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Rick
>>
>> Richard H. Pildes
>>
>> Sudler Family Professor of Constitutional Law
>>
>> NYU School of Law
>>
>> 347-886-6789
>>
>>
>>
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>

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