Subject: Re: [EL] "Opposition" to VRA
From: Jon Roland
Date: 2/4/2011, 12:31 PM
CC: "election-law@mailman.lls.edu" <election-law@mailman.lls.edu>
Reply-to:
"jon.roland@constitution.org"

On 02/04/2011 02:04 PM, Justin Levitt wrote:
That's only by your definition of "fair," Jon.  And my point is that I suspect not everyone agrees with you about what being "fair" means, particularly when the discussion moves from the abstract to the particular.
I am positing a definition, that it be a process in which there is no opportunity for humans to draw particular maps with the intent to favor the victory or defeat of some candidates. A random, impersonal process does that.

Mind you, I don't disagree that there are flaws in much of the status quo.  I'm only pointing out that an automated solution is not a panacea.
Almost any such process as I describe would be an improvement over what we do now. A still better solution would be to abandon single-member districts and go to a system of proxy voting in which each elected member would cast the  number of votes he got in his election.

-- Jon

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