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Senator Moore is
the lead sponsor of two legislative amendments
to the Constitution relative to establishing
an independent redistricting commissions.
These bills
combine the best of parts laws adopted by
other states like Iowa and Arizona by
creating independent Massachusetts
redistricting commissions to redraw our
electoral maps. The plans would be developed
in a fully public, transparent process by
commissioners who, unlike legislators, have
no personal stake in the outcome. However,
the bills retain direct involvement of the
Legislature by giving lawmakers two
opportunities to accept or reject the
commission-developed plans. Through that
process, lawmakers can still be held
accountable by voters for their votes for or
against well-reasoned plans.
Numerous
members of the Massachusetts House and
Senate have already joined Senator Moore in
co-sponsoring the commissions concept. The
bills have the support of groups such as the
NAACP, New England Area Conference; Common
Cause Massachusetts; the League of Women
Voters Massachusetts; MassVOTE; and Mass
Voters for Fair Elections.
These are
common sense plans that minimizes the chances
for back room deals and special protection
of favored lawmakers that can corrupt the
process. They deserves to be put in place for
Massachusetts and finally put the ghost of
Elbridge Gerry to rest!
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