Washington, D.C.—Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley introduced the Fair and Independent Redistricting (FAIR) Act to encourage the states to form a citizen-driven redistricting process. Based off California’s successful independent Congressional redistricting commission, Brownley’s bill would require the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to report on best practices that states should use when establishing their own independent Congressional redistricting commissions.
“Districts drawn by incumbents to protect their jobs makes politicians less accountable to their constituents and more accountable to the special interests, which has eroded public trust and contributed to a deep and intractable dysfunction in Congress,” said Congresswoman Julia Brownley. “California’s citizen-driven redistricting process proved that government of, for and by the people is not only possible, but its success makes it imperative. By helping other states form independent citizen redistricting commissions, my bill will result in a more transparent election process and more accountable representation.”
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). EAC is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration.
Brownley’s bill will direct the Election Assistance Commission to develop and publish recommendations for best practices that states may use in establishing and operating independent Congressional redistricting commissions. Upon completion, the report would not only be made available to the public, but would be presented to federal and state elected officials across the nation.
Issues: 113th Congress, Redistricting