July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Redistricting maps OK for Jay
Editorial
Are they perfect?
Probably not.
But the maps developed by the Republican majority in the Indiana General Assembly appear to be remarkably fair and to make a certain amount of geographic and demographic sense.
Redistricting is never completely free of politics, but this go-around seems to be less politically-driven than usual.
For Jay County voters, if the maps are approved, there will be a couple of changes.
We’ll shift from the congressional district now represented by Mike Pence to the congressional district now represented by Marlin Stutzman.
In other words, we’ll go from a heavily-Republican district with a very conservative member of Congress to a different heavily-Republican district with a very conservative member of Congress.
At the state level, the House district now represented by Republican Bill Davis of Portland returns to boundaries that make sense in terms of shared interests.
That district will now include not only all of Jay County but all of Randolph County and a largely rural section of Delaware County, including Albany.
That’s an area with common economic concerns and often a shared point of view.
Does it give political advantage to Republicans over Democrats? Maybe. But it also makes sense on a practical basis in terms of representative government.
And that, after all, is what the process ought to be about. — J.R.
Are they perfect?
Probably not.
But the maps developed by the Republican majority in the Indiana General Assembly appear to be remarkably fair and to make a certain amount of geographic and demographic sense.
Redistricting is never completely free of politics, but this go-around seems to be less politically-driven than usual.
For Jay County voters, if the maps are approved, there will be a couple of changes.
We’ll shift from the congressional district now represented by Mike Pence to the congressional district now represented by Marlin Stutzman.
In other words, we’ll go from a heavily-Republican district with a very conservative member of Congress to a different heavily-Republican district with a very conservative member of Congress.
At the state level, the House district now represented by Republican Bill Davis of Portland returns to boundaries that make sense in terms of shared interests.
That district will now include not only all of Jay County but all of Randolph County and a largely rural section of Delaware County, including Albany.
That’s an area with common economic concerns and often a shared point of view.
Does it give political advantage to Republicans over Democrats? Maybe. But it also makes sense on a practical basis in terms of representative government.
And that, after all, is what the process ought to be about. — J.R.
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