The document discusses redistricting, the process of redrawing legislative districts after a census. It argues that redistricting should better represent people rather than politics by using criteria like keeping communities of interest together and avoiding splitting counties and cities. The Secretary of State wants to start a discussion on redistricting reform in Indiana to create a fairer system and more competitive elections. Sample redistricting maps are provided to show what districts might look like if new criteria were used.

1. RETHINKING
REDISTRICTING
Re-drawing legislative districts to
better represent people, not politics.

2. .I
l
WhYis redistricting important?
Few things are more important to our democratic system than the way we elect our state's and our nation's leaders.
That's why as Indiana's Chief Elections Officer, I'm starting an important discussion to shed light on the way Hoosiers
select officials to represent us today and tomorrow.
Many people aren't aware of redistricting - the process of dividing the state into sections of voting populations. Even
worse, national polling data from Pew Research shows that most voters don't care: 70 percent of those asked had no
opinion about how redistricting is conducted in their state. But reforming this process is critical to fair and accountable representation and
more competitive elections.
Without fairly drawn districts, incumbents or political parties can manipulate voters through gerrymandering - shaping political boundaries
for electoral advantage. In Indiana, this process has resulted in many oddly shaped districts that split counties and cities and ultimately
diminish the voting power of many communities with shared interests. In addition, it leads to unnecessary confusion among voters.
Today, this is how you are represented in our state government. And I believe there is a better way.
To help advance discussion about redistricting in Indiana and ways we can make the system better, I'm asking all Hoosiers to start
Rethinking Redistricting by visiting www.rethinkingredistricting.comandjoiningtheconversation.This online resource provides a
forum for constituents who want to have an active role in shaping their voting community and a voice in the decisions that will help
ensure more competitive elections, united communities and a process influenced not by politics, but by people.
Regards, /7 /7~
U~ ~ Todd Rokita IN D I A N A SEe R ETA RY 0 F STAT E
People, not pol itics segments groups of constituents that are otherwise
united through county, city and school district lines.
In 2011, each state will redraw its boundaries for This criterion seeks to avoid unnecessary division of
state and congressional districts based on the new
voters who share the same community and often the
2010 census data. It's our hope that new criteria for
same priorities, views and motivations.
redrawing district lines can help create a system that
is fair, sensible, easy to understand and that, most
• Create districts that are more compact and
importantly, serves the voters and not the legislators.
geographically uniform
A fair and effective redistricting plan will use A more logical system to redraw Indiana's maps
community-focused criteria to represent Indiana'S would create more uniform districts. More than an
constituents. By concentrating on community, such a plan aesthetic preference, this action would improve
would redraw lines through a new system designed to:
government accessibility and raise constituents'
awareness of their district and its distinct, local
• Include no political data
Maps created without considering how particular voters issues of concern.
voted in previous elections will be inherently more fair
and less likely to contribute to gerrymandering and
• Maintain population balance
other voter manipulation.
Redrawingof district lines should be accomplished in
, Keep communities of interest together a manner that continues to balance population, but not
Some district lines are drawn in a way that be so stringent that the other criteria listed are devalued.
Re-drawing legislative districts to better represent people, not politics. www.rethinkingredistricting.com 2

3. .1
'1 How we got here What do these look -
like to you?
Ln Indiana and most other states, the state legislature is
responsible for redistricting every 10 years, after U.S. While they may look like many different things
census data is collected. Under our current law, the to many different people, Indiana's oddly shaped
officials responsible for redrawing district lines are the legislative districts look like anything but fair
very legislators already elected to represent the voters in for Hoosier voters.
those districts. To many, that sounds like a conflict of
interest. But it's a system that Indiana has maintained
as the status quo for more than half a century. OWings
A
o Two partially eaten pieces of pizza
Legislators have a constitutional duty to draw the maps, o A spaceship
and they should keep that duty. But for redistricting to
work for Indiana voters, our lawmakers need new, better
criteria for the upcoming round of redistricting in 201l.
The district maps in use today were drawn in 2001, and o A choo-choo train
are based on 2000 census data. Since those maps were o A dog with a club foot
B
.rawn, Indiana's competitive field of candidates has o A mountain range
become more and more shallow, with candidates in two
out of every five legislative races running without major
party candidate opposition.
o
Maps That Make Sense _ A tractor
c o A squirrel
We believe the proposed criteria will help us map a o A llama
sound solution to Indiana's redistricting challenges.
The maps in this brochure are a prototype of what our
district maps could have looked like today if these
criteria were used with 2000 census data. Beyond
o A staircase
merely being easier to understand, a 2011 map based
o o A caterpillar
on the proposed criteria would result in voters choosing
o A Pac Man maze
their legislators (not the other way around), a widened
.andidate field, more competitive races and less
confusion for voters about who represents them.
Re-drawing legislative districts to better represent people, not politics. www.rethinlkingredistricting.com 3

4. Ind iana Senate Legislative Districts
In this map, the districts follow already
existing political boundaries that better
represent communities of interest.
Re-drawing legislative districts to better represent people, not politics. www.rethinkingredistricting.com 4

5. l C:===--=::I_ Indiana House Legislative Districts _1I::::
__ E1_
In addition to following county and
township lines, in this map, every two
house districts compose one senate
district, greatly reducing voter confusion.
Re-drawing legislative districts to better represent people, not politics. www.rethinkingredistricting.com 5

6. Indiana Congressional Districts
Re-drawing legislative districts to better represent people, not politics. I www.rethinkingredistricting.com 6

7. Re-drawing legislative districts to better represent people, not politics. www.rethinkingredistricting.com 7

8. •
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RETHINKING
REDISTRICTING
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lfiJE Problem 1: Communities split
Rockport, IN house districts
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Morristown, IN Congressional districts
Congressional
District 8
Congressional
District 4
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10. RETHINKING RE
2: Lack of compactness
Milwaukee 203 mi
Congressional
District 8
Congressional
District 4
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~---------------
RETHINKING REDISTRICTING
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Problem 3: Lack of competition
• 40% of all legislative races lack major party
opposition
• Half of House districts favor a party by more
than 30%
• Since 2001, Senate leaders opposed 5 out of
16 opportunities. House leaders 19 out of 32
times
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11. 9 Hamilton County House Districts
(Also has 5
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RETHINKING REDISTRICTING
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Problem 5: Complicated election administration
• In Indiana, elections take 30,000 people to run 5500
precincts - all with multiple ballot variations.
• The concept maps show that the number of ballot
styles can be greatly reduced.
- Johnson County could have 1/3 of the current
number of ballot styles.
- Elkhart County could have 1/2 of the current
number of ballot styles.
4

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The solution:
Maps drawn based on ....
- Keeping communities of interest together (21 states)
- Compactness (36 states)
- Following known community boundaries (44 states)
- No political data for partisanship (12 states do this)
~---
RETHINKING REDISTRICTING
lJJ. What Could Have Been
What Could Have Been
One of many possibilities)
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What Could Have Been
What Is What Could Have Been
(Indiana House) (One of !l1any possibilities)
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14. ~-----------~~REDISTRICTING
RETHINKING
What Could Have Been
What Is
(Indiana House)
What Could Have Been
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(One of many possibilities)
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RETHINKING REDISTRICTING
What Could Have Been
What Is What Could Have Been
(In~i_anaSenate) (One of many possibilities)
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What Could Have Been
(One of many possibilities)
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Added Benefit: Nesting
- Each senate district could be split into two
house districts
- More accountability
- Less confusion
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lffiJ. Nesting Example
Nesting Example: Fayette, Union, Franklin, Dearborn, Ohio, Switzerland and part of Ripley
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RETHINKING REDISTRICTING
l5J1!. The Solution 1: Keep communities of interest together
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Rockport - a single
house member
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.liJ!. The Solution 2: Compact districts
Would this be better?
Congressional
District 8
Today
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Would this be better?
Congressional
District 4
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18. Current (9) Would this be better? (4)
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RETHINKING REDISTRICTING
liJZ Maps that pass legal muster
These maps are constitutional and legal.
Created by an experienced mapping company.
- Follow the four criteria, including not using incumbent
addresses or voting history
- Incorporate nesting
- Comply with the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act
Many other states have established criteria.
We can't let this effort get bogged down by
confused legal premises or selected application of
the law.
11

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Why consider maps like this?
More competition
More accountability for lawmakers
Easier access to lawmakers
Easier/less costly election administration
",.••
_ • R'M'tIMotfca6f
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RETHINKING
REDISTRICTING
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